Some people believe that the best way to reduce crime is to apply stronger punishments. Others think that it would be harmful and there are much more efficient ways to do that. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

In the modern world, the growing

crime

rate brings significant dangers to all nations, and its decreasing is one of the most urgent issues. Different people argue whether severe

sentences

could help solve

this

problem or not. In my opinion,

this

is not the only way to deal with

this

issue; it is complex and requires other actions. It is hard to disagree that giving offenders longer prison

sentences

is effective to some extent. In fact, when committing

such

illegal activities, people mostly take into account the consequences they could bring.

Thus

, even if they can accept the idea of spending several months in prison, years do not seem to them to be a period of life that they are willing to lose.

As a result

, we could have a lower

crime

rate by enacting stronger

sentences

.

However

,

this

is not efficient in the case of offenders whose lifestyle is a

crime

and whose punishment is not essential to them. Alternatively, certain steps could be taken to reduce the causes of

crime

, which are mainly poverty, unemployment, and a lack of education. Apparently, people who commit crimes often have no other way of making a living.

Therefore

, it would be efficient to provide more chances for free education for children from poor families and sufficient funding for them. Another point is that offenders who have been mixed with other criminals for a long time can be affected negatively by them.

As a consequence

, their character will get worse, and they are more likely to re-offend. In conclusion, to reduce the

crime

rate, long prison

sentences

should remain for those who commit serious crimes

such

as murder and rape,

while

certain steps should be taken to improve the level of education and employment in society in general.