Harsher prison sentences can mean that the sentence is longer, or that the conditions in which the person is kept could be worse. Crime is breaking the written laws of society. Crimes are against the law. Some examples of crime are: theft, murder, assault, etc. There are currently many different methods used by the government to help solve crimes such as: prison sentences, community service, reform/rehabilitation, etc. However, even these methods are not able to solve all crimes completely. This essay will discuss the arguments for and against as to whether harsher prison sentences would solve the problem of crime or not.
Harsher prison sentences would solve the problem of crime, as at the moment, criminals are finding prison to be like a “holiday camp”. Because of this, they are not afraid to commit crimes again, as they don’t find being sent to prison as much of a punishment. This shows that sometimes prisons do not solve the problem of crime as they are not harsh enough. If the conditions within the prison were tougher and harsher, then maybe the prisoners wouldn’t find prison to be a “holiday camp” and would actually consider it more of a punishment. Harsher sentences would also mean that criminals would be less likely to reoffend, as they know how horrible it was for them in prison, and they do not want to end up back in.
However, harsher prison sentences may not solve the problem of crime, as when the criminals have been released from prison, they may be so angry and mad at society for the way in which they were treated in the prison, that they may take out all of their anger on society itself, by committing more crimes, and maybe even crimes that are much worse than the ones they were prosecuted for. They would do this as they believe it is their way to almost “get back” at society. Therefore, having harsher conditions within the prison may not solve the problem of crime due to the prisoners