Studies show that many criminals have a low level of education. For this reason, people believe that the best way to reduce crime is to educate people in prison so they can get a job when they leave prison. Do you agree or disagree?
ESSAY #230 FROM OUR BOOK
It is generally observed that criminals are either illiterate or they have a low level of education. Therefore, it is thought that the most effective way to tackle crime is to provide education to criminals in prisons. While providing education in prisons can reduce crime to some extent, there are other better solutions to lessen crime.
Admittedly, providing education to criminals can certainly reduce crime. When criminals get some education, they would be able to get jobs after leaving prisons. Thus, they would be able to fulfil their basic needs and they will not be forced to resort to crime. Education would also increase the self-confidence of convicts and would make them more open-minded and respectful.
However, I believe providing education in prisons would not be very successful in reducing crime. Firstly, the main reason why criminals commit crimes again and again is not the lack of education, but the inability to secure good jobs. This is because most people avoid hiring criminals and there is a need to change society’s attitude towards criminals. Government could also facilitate this change through incentives like tax rebates to businesses and companies, which hire convicts.
Secondly, education in prisons may stop repeat offences, but it will not impact the first time crimes. Hence, rather than focusing on education in prisons, the government should focus on primary education, so that the overall illiteracy in society comes down and even first time crimes are reduced. Finally, the link between illiteracy and crime is overstated as some of the developed countries with high literacy rates have higher crime rates than developing and underdeveloped countries. So, focusing on education to address crime may not have the desired results.
In conclusion, although prison education would reduce crime to some extent, I believe that it is not the best method of reducing offences in the society.
