Is giving criminals longer prison sentences the best way to reduce crime?
Some people believe that giving criminals longer prison sentences is the best way to reduce crime. However, others claim that there are better ways to reduce crime rates.
I agree that extending prison sentences can deter people from offending or reoffending. This enforces criminals to reflect on their actions in prison, which is beneficial to causes many of them to feel remorseful for their criminal acts and reduce the possibility of reoffending. The threat of longer prison sentences is also a powerful deterrent against future crimes for potential future offenders.
However, longer prison sentences means that prisons will restrict criminals’ freedom for an overextended period; this maybe cause tragedy that people are hatred to increase against society and ,even worse, they are likely to uphold an anti-societal behavior. In addition, those criminals who serve longer prison sentences are isolated from the society and they won't adapt to the transitory society after they are released.
In my opinion, there are more effective methods to lower the crime rate. First of all, offering people, especially the children, moral education. It will develop moral values such as kindness, honesty, fairness, tolerance and respect for others. Secondly, the government should use censorship to control violence, sexual images and offensive language in the media; this prevents children from exposure to mass media and aggressive behavior. Finally, developing the economic growth of our country and encouraging people to become more competitive in the job market through increased educational opportunities, especially for people in poor rural areas. Such methods are more effective to lower the crime rate than just extending prison sentences.