In many parts of the world, people who have violated the law are put into prison, which is a
very effective way of preventing them committing more crimes. However, many experts believe
that better education is probably an even more effective way of addressing the problem of
crime. I would suggest that both prison and education are important and each plays a different
role in crime control.
Prison is certainly a place where criminals can be made to understand what wrong they have done
to other people and why what they have done before is not socially acceptable. In this way, these
criminals will have a better chance to come back to normal life. On top of the remedial function,
prison can serve as a deterrent for those with an inclination to crime. The likelihood of losing
freedom in prison can most effectively stop them from doing harms to the society and other
individuals.
Better education can also bring down the overall crime rate in any community, and it is the most
desirable preventive measure against crime. To start with, education improves people’s moral
standards which enable them to tell right from wrong so that they will build a robust inner wall
against any antisocial behaviors. More importantly, people with better education are always able
to find a satisfying career that will reward them with a decent life, and they will never think
of committing any crime.
In conclusion, prison with its remedial and deterrent function and education with its preventive
function are both needed in order to make this world a safer place for all of us to live in.