Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it , should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Although

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there is no doubt that crime must be punished, it is important to consider which type of penal

system

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is most appropriate.

While

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some believe that a

system

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of fixed sentences should be adopted, I support the view that

punishments

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should be based on motives and circumstances. Those who advocate implementing a judicial process of set

punishments

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may argue that

this

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would make criminal trials more efficient.

For example

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, once a jury has decided a particular defendant is guilty of murder, the judge need only refer to the ‘punishment for murder’ to sentence that person to life imprisonment. The benefit of

this

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is that a huge amount of time would be saved in court,

thus

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leading to significant financial savings.

As a result

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, more money could be spent on healthcare, education and welfare.

However

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, I would argue that the above

system

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is too rigid, and a process of ‘flexible’

punishments

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is much fairer. The latter punishment

system

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, which many countries use, leaves more room for compassion toward offenders who have been blackmailed or manipulated.

For instance

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, under

this

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system

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, if a thief is able to prove that he had been bullied into committing his crime, he should be sentenced to less prison time than a thief who had been motivated by greed. If,

instead

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, fixed

punishments

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were implemented,

this

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sense of fairness and morality would be lost. In conclusion,

while

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a legal

system

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of fixed

punishments

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might be more cost-effective and efficient, a procedure of assessing crimes based on circumstances and motives is more just, and justice, in my view, is paramount.