There are many different opinions on the form of punishment to reduce offences.

While some maintain

that imprisonment is the most effective measure of crime reduction, others reject this notion, believing
that some alternatives seem to promise more satisfying outcomes. My essay will elaborate on the
validity of both sides.

On the one hand, some claim long-term imprisonment as a catalyst decreasing the possibility of
offences. The main advantage is that this method has deterrent effects and can deter potential
offenders from becoming actual offenders. Facts have shown that psychological obsession such as a
sense of isolation, disregard from others and a guilty feeling works out when prisoners are kept in cavity
for a long time. In other words, the fear of long prison sentences coincides with the reduction of crime.
Another benefit is reflected in the hindrance of habitual criminals or hardened offenders. Those
criminals often commit crimes repeatedly and show little respect for the legal system. In fact, their
behaviors and thoughts are deeply ingrained and unbending, in which circumstances imprisonment is
the best way of keeping them from being perpetrators. For those reasons, it is understandable that long
prison sentences are effective in the reduction of crime. On the other hand, opponents argue that
prisons themselves cannot work out and some alternative solutions of crime reduction should be
considered. Firstly, education is of critical importance to positively improving citizens’ awareness and
behaviors. Not only are these people oriented timely and prop erly but they also avoid becoming
undesirable offenders due to insufficient understandings. They should be educated both about moral
standards and laws and regulations in their society. Secondly, vocational training or work release also
functions as the most important interventions in corrections. In fact, money is the main inducement of
many crimes, such as shoplifting, robbery, burglary, and so forth. Therefore, job training enables people,
especially offenders to acquire earning capacity and improve their job skills, resulting in a lower rate of
crime. For example, no sooner had local authorities supplied the youngster with incentives to deal with
the unemployment than the rate of robbery plummeted in my hometown.

As outlined above, although long-term imprisonment brings about numerous benefits in the reduction
of crime, other strategies such as improvement of citizens’ awareness and provision of job-training
programs should be implemented as well.