Imprisonment Is Not Always An Effective Deterrence And Many Convicts Reoffend | Band 9 IELTS Essay Sample

Imprisonment is not always an effective deterrence and many convicts reoffend after serving time in prison. There are a wide range of factors responsible for this disturbing phenomenon.

Here is a band 9 IELTS essay on this topic. Need help with IELTS writing? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Band 9 IELTS essay sample

Causes of recidivism can be varied. One of them could be the mental health issues that go unaddressed.

Easy access to media violence, family breakdown and poverty all contribute to an increase in psychological problems among people. When these problems are not addressed properly, they encourage at least some of these people to commit crimes. Putting them behind the bars is never a fool-proof solution. Imprisonment only confines these ‘patients’ to the limited space of their cell without relieving them of their mental problems. Consequently, when they complete their prison term and get released into the free world, they commit crimes again because the root cause of their problem has remained unresolved. In addition, criminals such as drug dealers and robbers continue to engage in illegal practices due to the difficulty in finding employment after serving a sentence. In order to make their ends meet, they have to go back to their old ways, regardless of the consequences.

To prevent released inmates from reoffending, we need to be aware of the fact that a prison term will not reform any person unless the real trigger for them is addressed. Providing education, psychological guidance and training for employment can be a solution as it helps the ex-convict to reintegrate themselves into the society. To be specific, national governments should provide counselling services to offenders, helping them learn how to control impulsivity and maintain a sound mind even in the time of adversity. Besides, prisoners should be given the opportunities to learn practical skills whilst they are inside. For example, if a former drug dealer can learn coding while in prison, after his release he is more likely to work in a technology company rather than peddling drugs again.

In conclusion, nobody is born a criminal. People commit crimes under the influence of socio-economic factors that affect their mental health. If these problems are addressed, a significant decrease in recidivism can be achieved.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.