雅思考试越来越关心社会话题，在雅思写作考试中，关于犯罪的话题一起来看一则范文!

　　In some countries, people who commit less serious crimes are made to undertake community service* instead of a prison sentence. Some people believe that all people who have committed a crime should be sent to prison.

　　Do you agree or disagree?

　　*compulsory work helping the community, such as decorating public facilities, which they must carry out in their spare time for a given period.

　　Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

　　Write at least 250 words.

　　There are certain situations in which the law has been broken where it is more appropriate to sentence the guilty party to community service rather than time in jail as the following essay explains.

　　Firstly, the penal system in many countries is under pressure. In many cultures, crime rates are increasing, exacerbating this problem. Funding of correctional institutions is expensive and many believe that money spent would be better utilised in other areas, such as healthcare. It would be unacceptable for some criminals who pose a risk to society, such as murderers, to retain their freedom; however, demands on the prison system can be eased if minor criminals, shoplifters for example, are punished in a different fashion.

　　Community service is a viable alternative to a prison sentence, not only to ease the financial burden of a country’s crime and punishment system, but also because while offenders are punished by having to sacrifice their free time, they also make a contribution to society. For example, if community service involved renovation of a youth centre in a deprived area, the local people could benefit enormously and costs of providing the facility would be decreased due to the free labour provided by those carrying out community service.

　　Admittedly, prison sentences for all crimes could reduce the incidence of crime over the long-term; however, many offenders may not be discouraged from breaking the law regardless of potential punishment as they may believe that they will never actually be caught.

　　To summarise, though prison sentences for all crimes could reduce the number of offences, there are stronger arguments for not imprisoning all offenders.

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