MUET Writing - Task 2 Sample

Writing Task 2 Sample

Prison is not a cure for crime. To reduce crime in the long-term, courts should significantly reduce prison sentences and focus on education and community work to help criminals not to re-offend.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the opinion?


Note: The general subject of the question is the best way to reduce crime. It has been given that long prison sentences should be maintained or to reduce it and emphasis on education and community work. Comment on both views. This is a short example. You should write at least 350 words. 4 body paragraphs.


                              There are many different opinions on the best way to reduce crime. The traditional solution is to be hard on criminals and put them in prison for a very long time. An opposing point of view is expressed by people with more modern ideas. They think that education and community work are the long -term solutions to cutting crime. So, who is right - the traditionalist or the modernist?

                              People in favour of reducing prison sentences often argue that prisons should not simply be places of punishment. In traditional prisons, people learn a lot about crime, so when they leave prison, they will commit more crimes. Education, however, gives people the skills to get a job when they leave prison, which means that they will probably not re-offend. Part-time work experience in the community is also very helpful as it is a step back into everyday life in society. People can be in prison, but they can also feel they are doing useful work.

                              On the other hand, some people argue that long prison sentences are right because the punishment should fit the crime. If, for example, someone commits a serious crime such as bank robbery, they should go to prison for a long time. They also believe that reducing prison sentences significantly reduces people's fear of prison and consequently, people will commit more crimes. People will not be frightened of going to a prison which is like a university with learning and work experience opportunity.

                               In conclusion, it is agreeable that education and community work can have an important role in helping reduce crime, but there should also be strict controls on the type of community work prisoners can do. It is important to understand that some people are a real danger to society and need to stay in prison for a very long time.