The number of people being sent to prison is increasing year by year. While some people believe prison is the best way to tackle crime, others suggest that community service is more successful. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

It is true to say that the crime rate has been increasing over the last few decades which has lead more people to be sent to prison. Although it is sometimes thought that serving prison sentences is the best approach to deter crime, I tend to be in a group of people who suggest that criminals should be involved in unpaid obligatory community programs. On the one hand, it is logically true that criminals should be sent to prison. Those who are in favour of this approach advocate that criminals have much more time to think about their crimes and regret for doing an activity against the law in prison. As they are not allowed to work for the interest of community, they are highly likely to read books or learn new skills in prison. The crime rate is likely to decline providing that governments take strong measures to be tough on crime. Some countries have already implemented this method in which prisoners are given corporal punishment for their crime. Once they are released back into society, they make a great effort to make a fresh start and avoid illicit activities. Additionally, prisons act as a deterrent for those who do not want to be punished severely. On the other hand, it is often believed that it is more successful if the emphasis is on involving wrongdoers in free social activities. As people, judies should not sentence prisoners to capital punishments, instead they ought to have criminals worked in public activities such as street cleaning or assisting in constructing buildings. This might not only help to the development of the country, but also criminals will be able to embark on their business in the long term after they have been released. Another reason why community service is useful is that the government do not allocate more resources to the workers; they just involve criminals. Thus, it seems to me that it is much more helpful if criminals attend obligatory services. In conclusion, while people may vary in their opinions, I think that community service can bring a host of merits to not only the prisoners themselves in the short term, but also for governments which may utilize the workforce of prisoners. Hence, implementing this approach in every prison throughout the world would make an outstanding contribution in reducing crime.