Thursday, January 23, 2020

C2 Essay Project

Essay proposition:

Decriminalising illegal drugs is, overall, best for society.

Essay on legalisation (by a student)

Pros and cons of decriminalisation for a debate

Narconomics - interview with Tom Wainwright



Essay proposition:

Rehabilitation, not incarceration and punishment, must be the focus of prisons.


Essay on rehabilitation in prisons (by a student)

Some lessons learnt from previous student writing:

Compare:

"In New Zealand there are nearly 10,000 prisoners and this number has increased over the last few years. "

The number of prisoners in New Zealand is on the rise. As of now it as nearly reached 10,000 inmates - one of the highest incarceration rates per capita in the world.


Compare:

"However, it is controversial if putting somebody away is really target-aimed or whether being imprisoned could make the inmates even more criminal." 

However, it is problematic if putting somebody away is in fact target-aimed. Moreover, there is mounting evidence that prisons actually drive crime by making inmates more criminal.


Compare:

"I personally think it is better for everyone if prisoners get a job to do or if they can go to school in prison. It is better for them during the time in prison, because they have something to do and it also helps them in the future life and might prevent them from committing crimes again. So instead of just locking people up the government should develop ideas how to improve prisons concerning the aspects that have been mentioned in this essay."



In my view, there seem to be multiple reasons for prisoners to be provided with meaningful work and education in prison. Not only is it better for them during the time in prison, giving them something to do, but it also helps them in future life and might prevent them from committing crimes again. The long term benefits of this to society will be a decrease in crime and more productive citizens. So instead of just locking people up the government should develop ideas on how to design and run prisons as reformative rather than punitive institutions.  

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