solution of crime essay

16 Causes of Crime Essay (with Solutions)

This essay on the causes of crime will examine the major factors accounting for the increase in the crime rate such as the breakdown in societal values, proliferation of harmful instruments, illicit substances, peer pressure, unemployment, advances being made in technology, globalization, broken homes, parental neglect and poverty.

Are you looking for a complete sample essay on the causes of crime and its solutions? Then you have come to the right place. Sit back and read closely this sample essay on the causes of both violent and non-violent forms of crime anywhere in the world.

Definition of Crime

To write a complete essay on the causes of crime and violence, we must have a full understanding of what we mean by crime and the various forms crime takes.

Types of Crime

So what are the types of crime in society? The major types of crime include hate crime, economic crime, cybercrime, white-collar crime, revenge crime and organized crime.

Again, murder and homicide are examples of crimes that mean the demise of the affected persons.

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The Causes of Crime

1. breakdown in societal values.

The breakdown in traditional societal values is one of the major causes of crime today. The amazing rate of modernization we see around us has increased our quest for material things.

No wonder, parents, families and even religious leaders continue to aid and abet criminal behaviours such as embezzlement, kidnapping, internet fraud and the like.

2. Illicit Substances

3. proliferation of dangerous instruments.

Again, violence, kidnapping and banditry are common today mainly because it has become relatively easy to acquire certain weapons.

4. Unemployment

No essay on the causes of crime will be complete without a mention of unemployment. As the saying goes, the devil finds work for an idle hand.

5. Globalization

Crime is now organized on an international scale. Globalization has made it easier for criminals or people with the intent to commit crimes to connect via social media and plan their nefarious activities.

6. Advances in Technology

Today, cybercriminals are having a field day. Identify theft, fraud, bank data breaches and robbery, cyberextortion and ransomware attacks are on the increase.

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7. Broken Homes and Parental Neglect

Economic hardship has exacerbated the problem of broken homes. In many developing countries, for example, jobless fathers who cannot bear the burden of providing for their families are known to have disappeared into thin air.

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Poverty is a problem we cannot easily ignore in this essay on the causes of crime. Some people engage in criminal behaviour simply because they are deprived of the basic means of livelihood.

9. Economic Inequalities

Rapid population growth rates, corruption and economic mismanagement by governments have resulted in a widening gap between the rich few and the majority poor.

10. Peer Pressure

11. low self-esteem.

Closely linked to the peer pressure factor is low self-esteem. For some, a feeling of inferiority creates the need for acceptance and self-validation.

12. Role of the Mass Media

We must also highlight the role of the mass media in this essay on the causes of crime. There seems to be no control over the media in their portrayal of violent scenes on TV, the internet and in newspapers.

Moreover, the unguarded utterances of politicians and so-called social commentators have not helped matters.

13. Lax Law Enforcement

Lack of logistics and equipment has rendered otherwise committed law enforcement officers powerless in their encounters with hardened criminals.

14. Ineffective Judicial System

The ineffectual justice system has also contributed to crime in society. Over here too, corruption is a major problem. Judges are known to have taken bribes and left lawbreakers off the hook.

This unprofessional behaviour on the part of judges and other judicial officers has contributed to a breakdown in the rule of law. The powerful are able to commit crimes against the less privileged without any fear of repercussions.

15. Intolerance

16. ignorance.

Our final point in this essay on the causes of crime is ignorance. It is a known fact that some people commit crimes out of ignorance. In other words, such individuals are unaware that what they do constitutes criminal behaviour and is punishable by law.

Solutions to the High Crime Rate

Stricter law enforcement.

Everything needs to be done to help all law enforcement agencies up their game. A disciplined and incorruptible police force, for example, will send a strong signal to everyone that you cannot break the law and get away with it.

Fairness in the Justice System

Reduction in poverty.

It is the duty of governments to formulate and implement pragmatic programmes that will alleviate economic hardship within the population.

Creation of Job Opportunities

The higher the number of employed youth, the lower the crime rate, all things being equal.

Promotion of Social Harmony

Awareness creation.

Finally, to reduce crime, it is necessary to educate the population on topics such as criminal law, crime prevention and civic responsibilities.

On what other topics would you like us to write an essay? Leave it in the comment box below.

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Crime | IELTS Problem/Solution Essay Sample

Practising writing IELTS task 2 essays  on a range of topics is a great way to learn new vocabulary for those topics, but also to practice your essay structures . You begin to develop your ideas around those topics, thinking of examples and giving your opinions.

Take a look at the IELTS essay example  below >>

On the other hand, the government and the community should cooperate in order to solve this problem. They should help the parents of these children by providing training and offering benefits that would supply a budget for their families. Free education should be also given to these children so that they can have employment prospects when they grow up. The government should also address the problem of overpopulation by allocating a budget for family planning because having a larger family means that one will have higher living costs. For example, a study by the Philippine National Police in 2016 stated that 95% of young offenders came from poor families with more than 8 family members.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types

Agree/Disagree Essays ADVANTAGE / DISADVANTAGE ESSAY CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY IELTS Problem/Solution Essay IELTS Discussion Essay  POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ESSAY Direct Question Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 Student Essay

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IELTS Essays About Crime

Jump to: Opinion Essays , Discussion Essays , Discussion and Opinion Essays , or Situation Essays

Opinion Essays

The death penalty should be available as a punishment for serious crimes.

To what extent do you agree?

Certain groups of society believe that the most efficient way of lowering crime rates is to be able to implement the death penalty for crimes which are the most serious. Others believe that this is not the case and makes no difference. Personally, I am completely against the use of the death penalty and this essay shall explore some of the reasons for this view point.

Firstly, a major drawback of the death penalty is that it is irreversible and could be handed out incorrectly. Although forensic scientists are becoming more and more advanced there is still a chance that mistakes are made and innocent people are executed. A classic case of this was Colin Ross, who in 1922 was executed but later evidence proved that he was actually innocent and in fact he was later pardoned in 2008.

In addition to the above arguments is the fact that some people are of the opinion that the death penalty has no place in a civilized society. To kill another human being for whatever reason should be considered a very low immoral act which demonstrates a lack of appreciation for the precious gift of life which we have all been given. Furthermore, most major religions of the world express the need for forgiveness. Executing inmates on death row is as far from this particular teaching as you could get.

Overall, it can be said that innocent people can be executed wrongfully and that a truly developed society should be able to find a more productive way of dealing with serious criminals. I therefore remain firmly of the stand point that the death penalty is totally unethical and ineffective

Internet crime is increasing rapidly as growing numbers of people purchase goods over the internet. What can be done to tackle this problem?

Following a significant increase in the number of financial transactions taking place online in recent years, internet crime levels have also increased dramatically. I believe this is due to the fact that people often think that they are safe when they are sat behind a computer and that they cannot be caught easily. This essay shall explore some ways of reducing these types of crimes.

One of the most effective ways of reducing online crime levels might be to make every internet user log-in with their passport number or national identification card number. Most countries assign at least one of these numbers to each citizen so this would make it very easy to track down who had done what crime and when. If potential criminals were made to identify themselves online in this manner when they first log on then it may cause them to think twice about conducting illegal activities.

Another method which may also aid online crime reduction would be to regulate the websites that the general public was allowed to access. This would mean that rather than the public being able to visit any type of websites they want to, they would only be allowed to access websites which were secure and not linked in any way to criminal activity. For example, certain web-sites such as Alphabaymarket.com sell fire-arms and drugs and are infamous for being places where illegal activities and transactions take place. Eliminating access to them could therefore aid in crime level reduction.

Overall, making people identify themselves online and restricting access to certain web-sites could help in online crime reduction. Personally, I feel the government need to take responsibility for implementing some or all of the above ideas.

Some people believe that poverty is the cause of most crimes.

Do you agree or disagree?

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While some people believe prison is the best place for criminals others think that there are better ways to handle them.

What is your opinion?

Violence in society increases when more violence is shown on television.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In some communities the teenage crime rate is growing. Some people believe that regardless of age, teenagers who commit major crimes should receive punishment that is the same as an adults.

Some people believe certain prisoners should be forced to do community work with no pay rather than being simply kept inside a prison cell.

The crime rate nowadays is lower than in the past because of the increased use of advanced technology which can prevent and solve crimes.

Some countries are experiencing an increase in the rates of crime. Many people believe that getting more police walking the streets is the best way to prevent crime from occurring.

Discussion Essays

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Many people think that having one single fixed punishment for all crimes would be more effective.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a fixed punishment?

Discussion and Opinion Essays

Some people think that giving harsher prison sentences and punishments is the best way to reduce crime rates, others however believe there are alternative methods that need to be explored.

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to hand out longer prison sentences, whilst other people think that there are better methods of doing reducing crime.

Discuss both views and give your opinion .

Some people think that the government should be responsible for reducing crime, where as others believe individuals should take responsibility for their own safety and security.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Many criminals after being released go on to commit further crimes as soon as they are allowed out of prison.

What do you think are the causes of this and what possible solutions can you suggest?

Situation Essays

In some poorer areas of large cities people are too afraid to leave their houses at night time due to a fear of crime.

What are the causes of crime in those areas and what can be done to tackle those problems?

In many large cities around the world youth crime is growing at a fast rate.

What are the reasons for this and suggest some solutions.

Crime rates in most countries are often higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

What do you think are the reasons for this and what can be done to lower the crime rates?

It is thought that the increase in youth crime rates can be linked to an increase in violence shown in the media.

Do you agree that this is the main factor causing juvenile crime and what ideas can you offer to deal with the situation?

Many crimes are often linked to the consumption of alcohol. Some people think that banning alcohol sales would dramatically reduce crime.

Do you think it is an effective measure against crime and what other solutions can you suggest?

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Sample Essay on Rising Crime Rates

Posted by David S. Wills | Nov 21, 2022 | Model Essays | 0

There are many common IELTS topics that you frequently see in task 2 of the writing test, and one of those is the topic of crime. Today, we are going to look at a sample essay relating to this subject and I’ll point out some useful ideas in terms of vocabulary and structure.

Analysing the Question

Before you start any IELTS essay, you should spend a moment thinking about the question. This is important because sometimes they can be trickier than they initially appear.

Here’s our question for today:

In many countries, the level of crime is increasing and crimes are becoming more violent. Why do you think this is and what can be done about it?

Fortunately, this is not a difficult question. The meaning is pretty straightforward and I think most people could grasp what they need to do. Ultimately, you need to do two things:

• Say why crime is increasing in frequency and level of violence
• Suggest some solutions to this problem

This is what’s known as either a “ cause and solution essay ” or “problem and solution essay.” Either way, you have two parts – either a cause or a problem and then a solution to that problem.

It is important you don’t focus only on one part. Also, in this particular question, don’t overlook the fact that it’s about both rising crime levels and rising violence levels.

Generating Ideas

This isn’t the easiest question to answer. Actually, it took me a while to think of some good ideas for it because, to the best of my knowledge, crime (and especially violent crime) has actually been decreasing in recent decades! Look at this line graph:

Of course, that’s just for Western Europe, and in some parts of the world the opposite trend can be observed. Here, we can see that some places have, sadly, seen a rise in homicides (that means the same as murder):

Considering the question, I had to think creatively. In those places that I don’t really know about, what factors could have caused rising crime levels and in particular rising violent crime rates?

To answer questions like this, it’s not enough just to be good at English. You need to have a good general knowledge and that means you should read widely, listen to podcasts, watch the news, and become an informed world citizen.

I have a whole article on learning to generate great ideas for IELTS essays.

Structuring your Essay

When it comes to cause and solution essays, I typically structure them like this:

There may be other great ways to structure your essay, but this is my preference. It allows me to write sample answers quickly and effectively, putting forth my position as clearly as possible in a very short time.

Think about it: You have two things to write, so why not put one in each of your body paragraphs? Simple!

I will structure this essay as follows:

In this sort of essay, it can be hard to write an introduction and in particular an essay outline . That’s because you aren’t putting forth any opinion and instead you’re hinting at the ideas that you will explain later.

I want to make clear in my essay that this is not an easy situation to explain and that it will also be hard to fix! Don’t worry. You can be honest. It’s better to give a nuanced explanation than to simply say, “We need the government to solve it.” That is simplistic and lacks intelligence.

Finally, remember to include a conclusion that summarises your ideas without repeating them.

Vocabulary about Crime

I have a whole article on the IELTS topic of crime and punishment . It gives lots of vocabulary and even includes a helpful video that can make learning more interesting!

In this essay, I will use the following words and phrases:

Remember that you can always learn more crime-related vocabulary by searching on Google News or just reading the newspaper each day. I highly recommend that you check out websites such as BBC News and The Guardian . You will see a lot of articles about crime there.

Sample Band 9 Answer

In some parts of the world, crime rates are increasing and the types of crime are becoming more violent. This can be attributed to urbanisation and the deterioration of traditional values and, in order to fix it, societies will need to work to give people more opportunities.

Whilst crimes rates are plummeting in most parts of the world, in some places they are on the rise. Obviously, the reasons for this depend on the individual location, but generally it seems to happen because people are moving from traditional ways of living to big cities. The problem is that, in small communities, people have purpose and accountability. In other words, a young man would be known by all the people in his village and have a job to do in order to contribute to that society. However, when the village disbands and he goes to the big city, it is not easy to make a good living. He might become part of a gang or become addicted to drugs. Without accountability and in the comparatively anonymous environment of the big city, he could easily become engaged in desperate and violent crimes.

Fixing this sort of problem is never easy, but there are various approaches. Certainly, it helps to improve policing but perhaps the problem can be stopped at its root if people are given more education and opportunity. These people would likely not turn to crime if they were supported as part of a community. Again, this is not an easy thing to facilitate, but it is possible through different approaches. Ultimately, the aim needs to be maintaining social values and giving people a sense of responsibility and purpose. When people have these things, they are much less likely to engage in violent crimes.

In conclusion, there are myriad reasons for crime rates increasing but perhaps urbanisation and the loss of traditional values are to blame. Giving people purpose and making them accountable for their own actions could counteract this.

As I mentioned above, I felt surprised that this question talked about rising crime rates but it does make sense when you think that certain countries or parts of countries are indeed experiencing this problem. Thus, I tried to put my feelings forward with careful explanations.

You will see that my body paragraphs are quite complex. That’s because this is not a simple topic. I don’t feel it’s possible to get a band 9 for Task Response without explaining just how complex the causes and solutions to crime are. It is not an easy issue to discuss.

You will see that I’ve avoided any bizarre vocabulary. Long-term readers of this blog will know that such an approach is not helpful. The best thing is to use the right word, whatever that may be. Aim for accuracy rather than obscurity.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Task 2 IELTS Writing Sample: Youth Crime - Reasons and Solutions

by Toshpulatov Lenur (Termiz, Surkhandarya, Uzbekistan)

"They think that, there must be another way" = don’t use a comma after ‘that’. You make this mistake many times. "recent figures there is an increase in violent" = should be ‘there has been…’. Use present perfect for something that started in the past and is still going on now. Second of all / Third of all = you can’t say this, only ‘first of all’ is possible.

"replace severe punishments than panleties are  such as, financial and and even being in prison"

Click here to add your own comments

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Causes and Solution of Crime Essay

Initially, crime means the illegal acts committed with no validation assigned by the law of a state. Sin is a term that denotes the offensive actions that violate the necessary rights of people and creates a threat to society. They are the severe wrongdoing activities that create an unfavorable environment for growth and sustainability. Crime is not just a physical loss but also an emotional threat made to any living body on earth. Sin is not only the act of benefiting one but also degrading another’s status without having personal benefit. The crimes are of various types, which might affect the property and even sovereignty. 

Firstly, crime is not just the outcome of an illegal brain set but also the consequence of unfavorable situations to stay in. One of the predominant causes of evil is the illiterate state of individuals, which makes them behave harshly with people and then conduct something illegal. The idea about one’s right and obligations are not flourished, which makes criminals have the healthy gut to do something wrong. The supervision or monitoring of one’s activity as a teen is necessary because this is how criminals evolve. The lack of proper guardianship and nurture to a child causes crimes.  

Further, cybersecurity and rules should be imposed in the state where online fraud prevails accordingly. The updated regulations must replace outdated ones. The time where a chip revolves within the group of criminals must have technical surveillance rather than just additional police and armed force. The proper infrastructures should be available to avoid unequal migration rates and economic threats. The parenting skills are essential among the group of parents to familiarize the nature wise grooming to their child and quality time in front of her parents or appropriate guardian.

As a whole, crime is the symbolic representation of the deteriorating situation of society. The growing rate of criminal activities denotes the degradation of the country’s policies and safety of life. The act of taking sexuality as fun and a source of entertainment has been raising physical abuse and prostitution, which harms the upcoming generation too. For this, the definition of crime should get a complete form and awareness should reach to the people to drop wrong does and wrongdoing intentions also. 

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Band 9 sample essay about crime

Home  »  IELTS BAND 9 ESSAYS  »  Band 9 sample essay about crime

Crime is a big problem in the world; many believe that nothing can be done to prevent it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion.

Crime is unquestionably one of the most prevailing and worrying aspects in any society, and its prevention should be taken seriously. Crime prevention can be executed in various ways, firstly through a sustained honest presence in the community and secondly through international cooperation.

A local presence by incorruptible law enforcement authorities may be costly, however, the long-term investment would pay dividends in the future. A safer region would encourage trade, investment and set an invaluable example for younger generations.

For example, crime has dramatically been reduced in the Favelas around Rio de Janiero in Brazil. This was achieved largely through the government committing large funds of money to stationing police headquarters in and around the slums. These financial expenditures greatly benefited the community.

Secondly, due to the large-scale severity and the global impact that crime has in some areas of the world, global cooperation is critical. Operating in a different way would incur significant financial losses and render any expenditure futile.

For example, Somalian pirates in Africa have reigned terror amongst many ocean transport companies in the area. Only through large-scale international cooperation was policing the area possible. Therefore, crime reduction can be attributed to a joint effort between countries.

To conclude, illegal activities are a costly and dangerous fact in the present global economy; however, through large-scale government investment prevention is an attainable goal. Also, spreading the expense through international cooperation the resources invested can be significantly more effective in reducing criminals’ effectiveness abroad.

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Crime As A Social Problem: How To Write An Essay?

Table of Contents

Nevertheless, the key to solving the problem lays deeply in it and only through research of every aspect of the problem it can be found. That is exactly why this topic is so popular! You have endless scopes to discover, various information to collect, numerous questions to find answers to, and freedom to compose any personal topic dealing with crime.

But still, all essays on crime are similar to their aim – to discover and to help. You need to realize that any cause-effect connections you may find can indeed help to understand the problem better, develop new methods of preventing, reducing or dealing with crimes and criminals and reveal many other useful things.

How to write crime essay?

Writing an essay on crime is almost the same as writing any other essay. However, remember that you need to be extremely precise with the information you include in your essay – it’s better to check the trustworthiness and accuracy of everything you decided to take on the Internet. What’s more, it is a good idea to rely on statistics and numbers.

Moreover, it is better to choose a specific topic for your essay – that’s how you make it informative and newsworthy. Picking too broad topic will result in writing about everything and nothing. At the same time, choosing a narrow topic may be difficult to write due to the lack of available information.

So, analyze your topic and find the golden middle. These are the main differences in a crime essay.

Here are some basic recommendations:

• Come up with the topic – not too narrow, not too broad, most importantly – interesting for you.
• Write an outline and stick to it – any essay needs to be structured both for easier writing and for better perception.
• Be interested in what you write about.

The best structure for the essay on crime

Any essay should contain three parts – introduction, main body, and conclusion. They may also consist of paragraphs for better understanding while reading. So when you have finally decided on your topic, it is nice to make an outline – it is where all parts of your essay will be highlighted.

Here is a free example of an outline for the essay “Correlations of criminal behavior”:

1. Introduction – here you present all the background information needed to understand your ideas, it is the basis of your research. You may also give some definitions if needed.

2. The main body – to state all your ideas.

• Gender – discover who does more crimes, men or women. Try to explain or find explanations for the question “why”.
• Race and immigration – examine people of which race is more likely than others committing crimes. Also, explore how can the status of immigrant influence criminality.
• Early life – enumerate which factors in early life may be associated with committing crimes later. These may include trauma, family size and relations, alcohol and drug addiction in the family, bullying, low school performance, and many others.
• Religion – there are a few studies about how religiosity may influence criminality. Discover whether religion increase or decrease crime, how and why. Maybe, different religions have different effects.
• Political ideology – explore various political ideologies and how they encourage people to behave themselves. Are there any which obviously push people into committing a crime?
• Psychological traits – explain how psychological background may influence a person. Describe some mental illnesses which may make people aggressive and destructive. Find some statistics to prove your statements.
• Socioeconomic factors – examine people of which social or economic status are more prone to commit a crime, why? Explain also how the economic situation in family, city, and country may influence criminality. You may even write a poverty and crime essay.

3. Conclusion – make a derivation of everything you have stated. Keep in mind that no new ideas or statements are needed here.

4. References – add a list of the sources you have used in your essay (if needed).

Causes of crime essay

It is doubtless that the government and authorities try to prevent crimes (which is a great idea, by the way!).

Nevertheless, it is still occurring.

The problem with this is that the majority of people can’t understand where it all comes from. To cope with the problem we need to spread the awareness of why crime is done because “just insanity” isn’t usually the answer.

If you decided to write such an essay, here are some ideas for you to consider in your essay:

• Physical abnormalities – it is still believed that people who encounter some features of appearance are more likely to commit a crime. It is stated that these people have smaller heads, bigger jaws, and ears and are of a certain weight and height. Another determining factor is race.
• Mental illnesses and psychological disorders – there are some illnesses which make people generally more aggressive.
• Social and economic factors – it is a well-known fact that people of lower social status commit more crimes. The same is with the economy – the poorer the country is, the more crime is committed.
• Income and education – it was revealed that educated people are less likely to commit a crime compared to those who are uneducated. What is more, unemployment is regarded as one of the most widespread reasons for crime.
• White-collar crime – it is a prevalent crime among deputies and high officials. They include bribery, abuse of status, bureaucracy, and others.

Hate crime essay: what’s best to cover?

Hate crime is committed against a group of people or someone who belongs to it. As a rule, race and religion are the main factors. Hate crime itself is a violent act towards a person or a group of people due to their affiliation with a group or organization.

Thousands of people all around the world are suffering since they just profess the religion someone doesn’t like, have another color of skin or encounter some even less noticeable differences. Consider writing a does the death penalty deter crime essay in this context.

Thus this type of crime is indeed worth highlighting. Here is a free sample for you to pick some ideas.

Cybercrime essay: several hints

Cybercrime is a relatively new problem which develops with the Internet and technologies. Only fifteen years ago there wasn’t such a problem. However, it is expected that the global cost of cybercrime will surmount $6 trillion!

Most widespread types of cybercrime include fraud, hacking, identity theft, scamming, computer viruses, ransomware, DDoS attack, botnets, spamming, phishing, social engineering, malvertising, cyberstalking, software piracy, cyberbullying and many others.

This is why the topic is really up-to-date. So you may look through this free example to know where to begin this broad topic.

Final thoughts

All in all, crime is a newsworthy scope to explore and write essays on. Unfortunately, crimes are constantly occurring, and there are lots of information and statistics you may need to discover some specific questions.

Don’t hesitate to examine something you’re really interested in, no matter how “important” it is considered! Good luck!

Can’t wait to fight all the crime around the globe? We’ll help! Order your perfect essay on crime and cut yourself free for anything you have on your mind.

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Role of A Teacher Essay: Write It Easily

In most countries, prison is an effective solution to the problem of crime. Some people think it is a more effective solution to provide education for those who violate the law. To what extend do you agree or disagree?

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Use cohesive linking words accurately and appropriately

Linking words are very important in your essay.

To score effectively on your IELTS exam, you should make an effort to implement short concise sentences coupled with linking words.

Almost every sentence in your essay should have a linking word of some sort.

In fact, the only sentences that can omit linking words are your background sentence and thesis.

Linking word examples:

• in additional
• for example
• for instance
• even though

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• Show IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics

Some people think most crimes are the result of circumstances like poverty and other social problems. Others believe that they are caused by people who are bad in nature. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Homelessness is increasing in many major cities around the world. what do you think are the main causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it, there is no doubt that globalisation has benefited the world by bringing together people, business and nations. people who criticise it stand in the way of progress. to what extent do you agree or disagree give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. write at least 250 words., : it is important to spend public money on promoting a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent illness than to spend on treatment of people who are already ill. to what extent do you agree or disagree, it is important for children to learn the difference between right and wrong at an early age. punishment is necessary to help them learn this distinction. to what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion what sort of punishment should parents and teachers be allowed to use to teach good behivour to children.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Crime and the Police (Real IELTS Exam)

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 0 Comment

This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer from the real IELTS exam about the topic of crime, which comes up frequently on the test.

These questions are really common in the writing test and can come up on ielts speaking as well., read my sample answer below and practice some of the vocabulary related to crime, here is some review on  ielts task 2 writing structures ., these are some other  ielts task 2 writing sample answers that i wrote , consider supporing my efforts to write these essays but signing up for my exclusive ielts ebooks here on patreon., ielts writing task 2 sample answer  (crime and the police).

Some countries are struggling with increases in crime rates. Some believe that having more police on the streets is best way to reduce and combat crime. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Many countries today are grappling with the best ways to curb rising crime rates and some have suggested that increased police presence on the streets is the optimal solution. Although I think this would have a positive effect for obvious reasons, the best solution is more nuanced and requires a deeper understanding of the sources underlying crime.

There is little doubt that employing greater numbers of police officers will have an adverse affect on criminality. one of the best examples of this would be in new york city under mayor rudy giuliani during the late 1980s and early 90s. at that time, new york was a haven for criminals and many areas of the city were deemed too dangerous by residents to safely live in or walk through at night. one of the many measures that giuliani used to reduce crime was significantly increasing the number of police officers during his time in office. this led to a reciprocal decline in crime and made the tourist-heavy neighbourhoods almost entirely safe and the rougher districts at least passably crime-free., the above-mentioned measures were only effective because administrators also tackled the root causes of crime. it is generally agreed upon that the principle causes of crime are related to education indirectly and poverty more directly. if you look at countries with extremely low poverty and unemployment rates, such as japan, you will see correspondingly low rates of crime. in japan, this begins with one of the world’s most renowned educational systems. students graduate from high school and university with immediately employable skills and most are employed throughout their lifetimes. since they have money to afford a good standard of living there is little incentive for criminal behaviour and the crime rate is among the lowest in the world., in conclusion, the best way to reduce crime in the long-term is to invest more in education and the economy to stimulate job growth and address the catalysts spurring on crime. any government that is serious about making their country a safer place must first take steps to improve their educational system as that will have the largest impact on creating the stable jobs that discourage criminality in all its forms., ielts examiner sample answer analysis (crime and the police), 1.  many countries today are grappling with the best ways to curb rising crime rates and some have suggested that increased police presence on the streets is the optimal solution. 2. although i think this would have a positive effect for obvious reasons, the best solution is more nuanced and requires a deeper understanding of the sources underlying crime., 1. my first sentence quickly restates the topic for the essay – spend a lot of time understanding the question correctly but don’t waste time writing this sentence – it isn’t that important, 2. next is my opinion. state your opinion 100% clearly or you could get a task achievement band 5, 1. there is little doubt that employing greater numbers of police officers will have an adverse affect on criminality. 2. one of the best examples of this would be in new york city under mayor rudy giuliani during the late 1980s and early 90s. 3. at that time, new york was a haven for criminals and many areas of the city were deemed too dangerous by residents to safely live in or walk through at night. 4. one of the many measures that giuliani used to reduce crime was significantly increasing the number of police officers during his time in office. 5. this led to a reciprocal decline in crime and made the tourist-heavy neighbourhoods almost entirely safe and the rougher districts at least passably crime-free., 1. the first sentence is my topic sentence with the topic (police on the street) and my main idea (negative effect on crime)., 2. my second sentence already begins my example. don’t waste time – run right to your example as fast as you can, 3. the third sentence further develops the same example – don’t run away from the example – stick with it, 4. my fourth sentence continues to develop the same example., 5. even my fifth sentence develops this same example you can also include a conclusion sentence for the paragraph if you have time., 1.  the above-mentioned measures were only effective because administrators also tackled the root causes of crime. 2. it is generally agreed upon that the principle causes of crime are related to education indirectly and poverty more directly. 3. if you look at countries with extremely low poverty and unemployment rates, such as japan, you will see correspondingly low rates of crime. 4. in japan, this begins with one of the world’s most renowned educational systems. 5. students graduate from high school and university with immediately employable skills and most are employed throughout their lifetimes. 6. since they have money to afford a good standard of living there is little incentive for criminal behaviour and the crime rate is among the lowest in the world., 1. the first sentence is again the topic sentence for the paragraph with my main idea – tackling the root causes of crime., 2. my second sentence explains my main idea before i get to my example., 3. the third sentence begins my example by mentioning japan and why its crime is so low., 4. my fourth sentence continues to develop the answer about japan., 5. the fifth sentence still continues describing the example of japan., 6. my sixth sentence concludes the example and paragraph., 1. in conclusion, the best way to reduce crime in the long-term is to invest more in education and the economy to stimulate job growth and address the catalysts spurring on crime. 2. any government that is serious about making their country a safer place must first take steps to improve their educational system as that will have the largest impact on creating the stable jobs that discourage criminality in all its forms., 1. my first sentence says my opinions for the second time. be clear don’t sit in the middle with your opinion, you must choose a side, 2. the second sentence adds an extra detail to the paragraph that many examiners will require for at least band 7 for task achievement., sample answer vocabulary, what do the words in bold mean if you’re not sure, don’t use a dictionary – try to figure out the meaning from the whole sentence then check your answers below, many countries today are grappling with the best ways to curb rising crime rates and some have suggested that increased police presence on the streets is the optimal solution . although i think this would have a positive effect for obvious reasons , the best solution is more nuanced and requires a deeper understanding of the sources underlying crime., there is little doubt that employing greater numbers of police officers will have an adverse effect on criminality . one of the best examples of this would be in new york city under mayor rudy giuliani during the late 1980s and early 90s. at that time, new york was a haven for criminals and many areas of the city were deemed too dangerous by residents to safely live in or walk through at night. one of the many measures that giuliani used to reduce crime was significantly increasing the number of police officers during his time in office. this led to a reciprocal decline in crime and made the tourist-heavy neighbourhoods almost entirely safe and the rougher districts at least passably crime-free ., the above-mentioned measures were only effective because administrators also tackled the root causes of crime. it is generally agreed upon that the principle causes of crime are related to education indirectly and poverty more directly . if you look at countries with extremely low poverty and unemployment rates , such as japan, you will see correspondingly low rates of crime. in japan, this begins with one of the world’s most renowned educational systems . students graduate from high school and university with immediately employable skills and most are employed throughout their lifetimes . since they have money to afford a good standard of living there is little incentive for criminal behaviour and the crime rate is among the lowest in the world., in conclusion, the best way to reduce crime in the long-term is to invest more in education and the economy to stimulate job growth and address the catalysts spurring on crime. any government that is serious about making their country a safer place must first take steps to improve their educational system as that will have the largest impact on creating the stable jobs that discourage criminality in all its forms ., grappling with:  strugglling with/fighting, curb:  slow down, crime rates: the level of crime, increased police presence:  more police on the streets, optimal solution:  best way of dealing with, obvious reasons:  clear, definite justifications, nuanced:  complex, requires a deeper understanding:  needs more study/analysis, underlying:  root causes/foundation, there is little doubt that:  no question that, adverse effect:  negative impact, criminality:  crime, under:  while someone serves in office (under obama, trump, napoleon, etc.), haven:  safe place for, deemed:  considered/thought to be, measures:  methods, reciprocal decline:  related decrease, tourist-heavy neighbourhoods:  areas where tourists frequent, rougher districts at least passably crime-free:  dangerous areas at least mostly free of crime, above-mentioned:  said before, administrators:  people working in offices/government, tackled:  combatted, root causes:  sources, principle causes:  main reasons, indirectly:  not directly, poverty:  being poor, directly:  from a clearly identified source, unemployment rates:  the number of people without jobs, correspondingly:  related, most renowned educational systems:  good schools, employable skills:  skills that help you to get a job, lifetimes:  as long as you live, good standard of living:  good quality of life, little incentive:  no reason for, long-term:  over a long period of time, stimulate job growth:  increase the number of jobs for people, catalysts spurring on:  causes leading to, take steps:  take action towards, stable jobs:  good jobs that don’t go away easily, discourage criminality in all its forms:  decrease all crimes, pronunciation, ˈgræplɪŋ   wɪð  , kɜːb  , kraɪm   reɪts  , ɪnˈkriːst   pəˈliːs   ˈprɛzns  , ˈɒptɪməl   səˈluːʃən  , ˈɒbvɪəs   ˈriːznz  , nju(ː)ˈɑːnst  , rɪˈkwaɪəz   ə   ˈdiːpə r  ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ  , ˌʌndəˈlaɪɪŋ  , ðeə r  ɪz   ˈlɪtl   daʊt   ðæt  , ˈædvɜːs   ɪˈfɛkt  , ˌkrɪmɪˈnælɪti  , ˈʌndə  , ˈheɪvn  , diːmd  , ˈmɛʒəz  , rɪˈsɪprəkəl   dɪˈklaɪn  , ˈtʊərɪst – ˈhɛvi   ˈneɪbəhʊdz  , ˈrʌfə   ˈdɪstrɪkts   æt   liːst   ˈpɑːsəbli   kraɪm – friː  , əˈbʌvˈmɛnʃ(ə)nd  , ədˈmɪnɪstreɪtəz  , ˈtækld  , ruːt   ˈkɔːzɪz  , ˈprɪnsəpl   ˈkɔːzɪz  , ˌɪndɪˈrɛktli  , ˈpɒvəti  , dɪˈrɛktli  , ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt   reɪts  , ˌkɒrɪsˈpɒndɪŋli  , məʊst   rɪˈnaʊnd   ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃənl   ˈsɪstɪmz  , ɪmˈplɔɪəbl   skɪlz  , ˈlaɪftaɪmz  , gʊd   ˈstændəd   ɒv   ˈlɪvɪŋ  , ˈlɪtl   ɪnˈsɛntɪv  , ˈlɒŋtɜːm  , ˈstɪmjʊleɪt   ʤɒb   grəʊθ  , ˈkætəlɪsts   ˈspɜːrɪŋ   ɒn  , teɪk   stɛps  , ˈsteɪbl   ʤɒbz  , dɪsˈkʌrɪʤ   ˌkrɪmɪˈnælɪti   ɪn   ɔːl   ɪts   fɔːmz, vocabulary practice, remember and fill in the blanks:, many countries today are _____________ the best ways to _____________ rising _____________  and some have suggested that  _____________ on the streets is the  _____________ . although i think this would have a positive effect for   _____________ , the best solution is more _____________ and  _____________ of the sources _____________ crime., _____________ employing greater numbers of police officers will have an _____________ on   _____________ . one of the best examples of this would be in new york city   _____________ mayor rudy giuliani during the late 1980s and early 90s. at that time, new york was a _____________ for criminals and many areas of the city were _____________ too dangerous by residents to safely live in or walk through at night. one of the many  _____________ that giuliani used to reduce crime was significantly increasing the number of police officers during his time in office. this led to a  _____________ in crime and made the _____________ almost entirely safe and the  _____________ ., the _____________ measures were only effective because _____________ also _____________ the _____________ of crime. it is generally agreed upon that the _____________ of crime are related to education _____________ and _____________ more   _____________ . if you look at countries with extremely low poverty and _____________ , such as japan, you will see _____________ low rates of crime. in japan, this begins with one of the world’s _____________ . students graduate from high school and university with immediately _____________ and most are employed throughout their   _____________ . since they have money to afford a _____________  there is _____________ for criminal behaviour and the crime rate is among the lowest in the world., in conclusion, the best way to reduce crime in the  _____________ is to invest more in education and the economy to _____________ and address the _____________ crime. any government that is serious about making their country a safer place must first  _____________ to improve their educational system as that will have the largest impact on creating the _____________ that _____________ ., crime links from youtube and articles, why japan’s crime rate is so low, crime:the animated series – marcus mcghee – mocatv (explicit language), why should you read “crime and punishment” – alex gendler, comment below – have you ever committed a crime.

Lots of times! I remember once I … Just the once …  Yeah, a few times… What?! I’d never…

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Crime & Punishment Essay Titles

IELTS Essay Questions for the Topic of Crime & Punishment. All essay questions below are reported by IELTS candidates and seem to have been repeated over the years. Regardless of the years the questions were reported, you could get any question below in your test. You should, therefore, prepare ideas for all questions given below. This topic is more likely to appear in the Academic test than the GT writing test. However, all candidates should prepare for all topics to be safe.

Crime & Punishment Essay Questions for IELTS Writing Task 2

The crime rate nowadays is decreasing compared to the past due to advance technology which can prevent and solve crime. Do you agree or disagree? (Reported 2017, 2021 Academic Test)

Many criminals commit further crimes as soon as they released from prison. What do you think are the causes of this? What possible solutions can you suggest? (Reported 2015, 2017, 2022 Academic Test)

It is often thought that the increase in juvenile crime can be attributed to violence in the media. Do you agree that this is the main cause of juvenile crime? What solutions can you offer to deal with this situation? (common question)

In some societies, the number of crimes committed by teenagers is growing. Some people think that regardless of age, teenagers who commit major crimes should receive adult punishment. To what extent do you agree? (2020, 2023)

Some countries are struggling with an increase in the rate of crime. Many people think that having more police on the streets is the only way to reduce crime. To what extent do you agree? (2018, 2020)

Some people think that women should not be allowed to work in the police force. Do you agree or disagree?

Many crimes are often related to the consumption of alcohol. Some people think that the best way to reduce the crime rate is to ban alcohol. Do you think this is an effective measure against crime? What other solutions can you suggest?

Some people think certain prisoners should be made to do unpaid community work instead of being put behind bars. To what extent do you agree? (Reported 2017, 2020, GT Test)

Many people believe that having a fixed punishment for all crimes is more efficient. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a fixed punishment? (common question)

Some people think that the government should be responsible for crime prevention, while others believe that it is the responsibility of the individual to protect themselves. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

The death penalty is the best way to control and reduce serious crime. To what extent do you agree? (2018, 2020)

While it is sometimes thought that prison is the best place for criminals, others believe that there are better ways to deal with them. What is your opinion? (common question – this is often reworded with a focus on the best ways to deal with criminals)

Crime rate, in most countries, is often higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Why do you think that is? What can be done to reduce the crime rate?

Some people think that poverty is the reason behind most crimes. Do you agree or disagree?

Internet crime is increasing rapidly as more and more people are using the internet to make financial transactions. What can be done to tackle this problem ?

Some people think that the parents of children who commit crime should also receive a punishment. Do you agree or disagree? (2020)

Reported essay questions are from students who have taken their IELTS test. That means questions may have appeared more frequently than have been reported. These questions may vary slightly in wording and focus from the original question. Also note that these questions could also appear in IELTS speaking part 3 which is another good reason to prepare all topics thoroughly.

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Essay on Crime

Students are often asked to write an essay on Crime in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Crime

Understanding crime.

Crime refers to acts that violate the law. They are considered harmful and punishable by a governing authority. Crimes can range from theft to murder.

Types of Crimes

There are various types of crimes. Violent crimes include actions like assault, while theft falls under property crimes. White-collar crimes involve fraud or embezzlement.

Consequences of Crime

Crimes have severe consequences. They can lead to imprisonment, fines, or even death penalties. Moreover, they harm communities and individuals, causing fear and damage.

Preventing Crime

Preventing crime involves law enforcement, education, and community programs. Everyone can contribute to a safer society by obeying laws and reporting suspicious activities.

250 Words Essay on Crime

Introduction.

Crime, a pervasive aspect of society, is an act that violates a law and is punishable by the state. It disruptively breaches societal norms, creating a sense of insecurity and fear. This essay delves into the nature of crime, its causes, and the role of law enforcement.

The Nature of Crime

Crime is a complex phenomenon, varying across cultures and societies. It ranges from minor offences like theft to severe ones like homicide. The nature of crime reflects societal values, as what is considered criminal is determined by the prevailing legal and moral code.

Causes of Crime

The causes of crime are multifaceted, involving biological, psychological, and sociological factors. Biological theories suggest genetic predispositions towards criminal behaviour. Psychological theories focus on the individual’s mental processes and their interaction with the environment. Sociological theories, on the other hand, emphasize societal structures and inequalities as major crime contributors.

Law Enforcement and Crime

Law enforcement agencies play a crucial role in maintaining order, preventing crime, and ensuring justice. They function as a deterrent, keeping potential criminals in check. However, their effectiveness is contingent upon their ability to adapt to evolving criminal tactics.

In conclusion, crime is a societal issue with deep roots in individual and social structures. Understanding its nature and causes is key to formulating effective strategies for prevention and control. As society evolves, so too must our approach to understanding and combating crime.

500 Words Essay on Crime

Crime, a social and legal concept, has been a part of human society since its inception. It refers to the actions that violate the norms and laws of a society, leading to harm or potential harm to individuals or the community. The study of crime, its causes, effects, and prevention, is a crucial aspect of sociology, psychology, and criminology.

Crime is a complex phenomenon, varying across societies and times. It is not static but evolves with societal norms and legal frameworks. What may be considered a crime in one society may not be in another, and similarly, what was a crime in the past might not be so today. For instance, homosexuality was once criminalized in many societies, but it is now widely accepted and decriminalized.

Types of Crime

Crimes are generally categorized into personal crimes, property crimes, inchoate crimes, statutory crimes, and financial crimes. Personal crimes involve direct harm or threat to an individual, such as assault or robbery. Property crimes involve interfering with another person’s property, like burglary or theft. Inchoate crimes are those that were started but not completed, while statutory crimes are violations of specific statutes. Financial crimes, such as fraud or embezzlement, involve the illegal conversion of property ownership.

The causes of crime are multifaceted, often interwoven with societal, psychological, and economic factors. Poverty, lack of education, substance abuse, and family violence are some common societal factors leading to crime. Psychological factors include personality disorders, low self-control, and aggression. Economic factors, such as unemployment or income inequality, also contribute significantly to crime rates.

Effects of Crime

Crime prevention strategies are as diverse as the causes of crime. They include social strategies, such as improving education and employment opportunities, and legal strategies, such as effective law enforcement and fair judicial systems. Psychological interventions, like counseling and therapy, can also play a significant role in crime prevention.

Understanding crime is essential to creating a safe and harmonious society. By examining its nature, types, causes, effects, and prevention, we can develop effective strategies to reduce crime rates and mitigate its impact on individuals and communities. It is a collective responsibility that requires the concerted efforts of individuals, communities, and governments.

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Solution Of Crime (Essay Sample) 2023

Table of Contents

Solution Of Crime

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Solution of Crime

The existence of crime in every society is not news anymore. On numerous occasions, the gradual increase of criminal activities has taken over the media and the public at large. This leaves people feeling quite insecure. Much can be done by the governments and citizens to curb crime activities in the society and hence the focus of this article.

Crime and poverty have been concurrent from time to time. Their imperative relationship makes it easy to note the steady increase in each of them. Poverty is one of the principal reasons people engage in crime. It is easier to go without food for a day or two while you are alone but having less funds to cater for one’s family can be difficult to comprehend. This forces some people to resort to crime in order to survive. The government, however, can step in and improve the education sector and reduce the unemployment levels in a country.

The media has also played a role in eruption of criminal activities. The internet has been a domain for violence. The films we watch make some of us think engaging in crime can be out of mere fun. Some people, therefore, form or join gangs and have a symbol for themselves. The sight of a gang terrorizes many people in the society and some try to fight back. Dreadful casualties are encountered which can be quite intricate to prevent. The government ought to deploy the police force in these terror prone zones and they should use the appropriate amount of force to deal with such situations. The unproductive and retrogressive use of the internet should also be controlled and those using it maliciously should be punished accordingly.

The rate at which robbery cases occur in our midst and also in the streets is almost becoming normal. Our streets may seem to be safe but there are some people who are always up to mischief and catching up with them can be quite a task. The installation of more surveillance cameras and deployment of more plain clothed police officers in the streets can help a great deal to decrease the terror in our streets. Constant watch over our streets makes it easy for suspicious activity to be spotted and immediate action taken.

Every community has educated and uneducated individuals. It can indeed help if the government involves itself in educating the nation about crime. Peace campaigns can also be done regularly and the use of the internet to spread the message can help to cover a wider region. Through this, people will feel a sense of belonging and that they are cared for.

The poverty stricken regions are the domain spots for upsurge of criminal activities. Poor living conditions makes an area prone to many violent activities. In order to curb crime in these regions, better living conditions and urban planning ought to be practiced. The government can step in and aid in improving the state of these regions by upgrading the buildings and improving the living conditions of these areas.

Poor parenting is also one of the crucial grounds for engaging in crime. Having the sense of belonging is very essential in a child’s development. Once a parent is not that concerned about his/her child’s wellbeing, this triggers an unwanted feeling. A child grows up thinking that he/she is not wanted in the family. He/she might, therefore, resort to go out and engage in crime and when he comes across others like him, gangs can sprout as well. Parents ought to supervise and monitor their children’s habits. This helps a child grow in the right path.

In conclusion, crime has been a constant menace in the society. The need to overcome it is imminent and all the stakeholders need to assume their positions and work. Through teamwork and help from the government, the solution to crime can be easily concocted.

Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World Essay

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Introduction

Causes of youth crime, consequences of youth crime, preventive measures to be taken in regard to youth crime, works cited, annotated bibliography.

Youth crime has become a major issue of concern worldwide because most youths have been indulging in crimes at very high rates. This has raised the need to take some steps in an effort to either minimize or avoid the involvement of youths in criminal activities. Youth crime also referred to as juvenile delinquency entails some abnormality in the youths’ behaviour in regard to societal or even legal expectations.

There are many factors that are considered to facilitate indulgence in crime by the youths for instance poor up bringing, poverty and unemployment, lack of education and peer pressure among others. This research paper will look into the various aspects that are associated with youth crime for example the causes, the delinquent behaviours involved, and the preventive measures undertaken to handle the delinquencies.

There is no distinct factor that can be pin pointed as the root cause of youth crime. This is because youths engage in criminal activities as a result of the different situations that they face in life. The situations could be as a result of either social, economic, cultural or even family problems.

Different economic, social and cultural conditions in different countries causes the difference in the causes although some common causes can be drawn since all hail from family relationships, the social environment and the economic situation surrounding the youths.

The relationships that exist in the families of the youths could facilitate the indulgence in criminal activities for example when the parents are involved in crime, when there is poor parental guidance and supervision, in case of neglect and isolation or harsh treatment by parents hence the development of defiant behaviour, where there exist family conflicts and the youths feel overburdened, ineffective or lack of communication between the parents and the children hence lack of forum for discussing the problems that the youths could be having, disrespect and irresponsible behaviour among family members that may make the youths take it as a normality, family break-ups and violence among others.

An economic condition on the other hand entails aspects like the political situations surrounding the youths, poverty and unemployment among other aspects (Western, Lynch and Oquilvie 45). The political situation in a nation may also lead to indulgence in crime by the youths for example in instances where there is political instability, the youths may tend to look for means through which to secure a better future hence engaging in criminal activities in search of a livelihood.

Lack of employment opportunities for the youths is also a major contributing factor towards delinquency. Some of the youths have got education but lack employment chances making them hopeless and susceptible to anything that may come their way, crime being one of them as they try to survive and establish a source of living.

Poverty and inequality also contributes to criminal activities. This is because no one is ready to accept living in poor conditions especially where others have better living conditions. As the youths tend to move away from the poverty situations they find themselves engaging in criminal ventures in an effort to make life favourable and comfortable.

The social conditions that may facilitate the indulgence in criminal activities by the youths include inequalities in terms of services provision and power sharing, poor or lack of leadership in the societies hence loss of focus among the youths, discrimination among the youths, peer pressure and influence of the media for instance where the media portrays violence and crime to be prestigious making the youths to emulate people involved in crime among others. It is therefore evident that to prevent crime, the above named causes should be dealt with from the roots (McCord et al 25).

There are numerous consequences that are associated with youth crime. The crimes affect not only those undertaking it but also the society at large. This is because of the uncertainty linked with the criminal activities which leads to tension and anxiety among the society members as they don’t know what may happen to them.

The crime may also be dangerous to the youths themselves for instance the abuse of drugs and other substances may lead to deterioration of their health, they may also be physically injured in the event of perpetrating the criminal activities and more so, they may get themselves behind bars facing legal sentences once they are convicted for the crimes committed hence suffering from lack of freedom and harsh treatment (Elliot, Huizinga, and Menard 29).

Since the problem of youth crime is real and in existence, there is need to establish some measures aimed at reducing or avoiding the chances of engaging in crimes by the youths. A good approach is however the identification of the root causes of the crimes and dealing with them appropriately.

The measures include reduction of inequality and poverty levels among communities. This could be achieved through aspects like effective taxation that ensures that the well-up people are able to support the less fortunate through the taxes hence reducing the inequality. Poverty can also be reduced through provision of employment opportunities and increasing the minimum earnings.

This will in the long run reduce the chances of the youths’ indulgence in crime as they will be involved in more productive activities in the economy. Reduction of the availability of drugs and other substances is also a recommended step as it reduces the number of youths who can access them hence avoiding their abuse (Blyth and Solomon 2).

Another effective method that could be applied is the youth awareness programmes for instance on the importance of education and general positive living. Education should also be made affordable to the majority including the poor as education enhances an individual’s well being in terms of decision making and making choices as well as increasing the possibilities of securing job opportunities hence have a stable source of earning.

There should also be efforts to reinforce the law enforcement strategies with an aim of reducing chances of crime as the youths caught committing crimes are sentenced hence serving as examples to the others who may think of indulging in crime. Corruption is a contributing force towards crime execution of since the offenders feel free to commit the crimes without minding the consequences as they know they can bribe the law enforcers and get away with it.

Reduction of the corruption will in return result to reduction of crime rates as the youths will be held responsible for their criminal activities and hence they will tend to avoid it. These preventive measures among others will help reduce crime rates through dealing with the root causes of the crimes (Muhammad 9).

It is evident that youth crime is a problem in most countries as young people are increasingly getting involved in criminal activities. The problem however lies in the establishment of the main causes of crime youth but once this is clear, the problem can be dealt with appropriately through prevention of its crimes rather than waiting for its occurrence and intervening since this is much more tasking and entails aspects like rehabilitation which can be avoided through prevention.

Blyth, Maggie and Solomon, Enver. Prevention and Youth Crime: Is Early Intervention Working? United Kingdom: The Policy Press, 2009.

Elliot, S. Delbert, Huizinga, David and Menard, Scott. Multiple Problem Youth: Delinquency, Substance Use and Mental Health Problems. Springer: New York, 2009.

McCord, Joan et al. Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice . USA: National Academies Press, 2001.

Muhammad, Ali. “ Youth Crime: Causes and Remedies ”. Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA), Paper No. 17223, 2008. Web.

Western, Stuart John, Lynch, Mark and Oquilvie, Emma. Understanding Youth Crime: An Australian Study . USA: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2003.

The following are the additional sources to be included in the annotated bibliography.

This book is very essential in this study as it gives an insight to the prevention of youth crime. It specifically touches on the importance of prevention rather than cure in regard to any given problem and in this case the authors give the benefits accrued to the prevention process as opposed to the cure. It focuses on the need for early intervention programmes that should be put in place in an effort to preventing the young children and the youths from engaging in criminal activities.

It is a book that incorporates contributions from various experts in their effort to examine critically the government policy in relation to early intervention programmes, which are directed towards supporting families and preventing young children and youths from being involved in crime. It generally looks into the effectiveness of early intervention as a measure towards preventing youth crime.

This book has combined efforts of different authors to bring about an understanding of why the young people decide to turn into delinquent acts. The book specifically looks into the patterns of crimes undertaken by children and youth offenders. It gives a detailed insight into the contributing factors for instance parental care, peer pressure and how the society influences this.

Apart from the reasons for indulgence of the youths in crime, the book highlights some of the solutions to youth crime for instance the interventions to be implemented in the juvenile justice system, the part played by law enforcers and other preventive measures.

Muhammad, Ali. “Youth Crime: Causes and Remedies”. Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA) , Paper No. 17223, 2008. Web.

This is a very informative research paper as it covers a wide range of aspects in regard to the topic of study, Youth Crime. It gives in depth details in relation to the factors that may facilitate the youths’ indulgence to various criminal activities and the consequences associated with the involvement of the youths in criminal activities including those faced by the offenders themselves and the society at large.

Apart from the causes and effects of youth crime, the author recognizes the fact that the ordeal of crime is in existence and more so it is in the rise and therefore outlines in details the appropriate measures that should be adhered to in an effort to preventing and avoiding the engagement of the youths in criminal activities emphasizing that dealing with the root causes is very crucial in preventing youth crime.

Scott, S. Elizabeth and Steinberg, Laurence. Adolescent Development and the Regulation of Youth Crime. The Future of children, volume 18, Number 2, fall 2008, pp. 15 – 33.

This journal article explores the changes that have taken place in the conception of the law over the past years. The authors shows of how the youth offenders were initially treated, the same way as adults, which is not right as the youths are quite different from the adults for instance in terms of the offences they commit and the punishment they can stand.

The laws to be adopted for instance emphasizes on the application of aspects like rehabilitation as corrective measures as opposed to punishment which is employed in case of the adult offenders. It calls for attention to the application of the juvenile justice system to the delinquents as opposed to subjections to the adult courts.

Western, Stuart John, Lynch, Mark and Oquilvie, Emma. Understanding Youth Crime: An Australian Study. USA: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2003.

The authors in this book give some good and educative information that can assist us in understanding the general overview of the aspect of youth crime. Although the case study is in the Australian population, it gives the idea of the relationship between the youths and crime. According to this book, the youths are in their transitional process from childhood to adulthood and they are susceptible to numerous troubles including criminal activities.

The book focuses on an Australian study that was carried out to determine the major social factors that are deemed to have some impacts on the general lives of young people. The study was conducted on 1,300 youths which is a total representative sample and from this a general overview is drawn which enriches our understanding of youth criminality.

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IvyPanda. (2018, September 5). Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/

"Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." IvyPanda , 5 Sept. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

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IvyPanda . 2018. "Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." September 5, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

1. IvyPanda . "Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." September 5, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." September 5, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

Policing’s Illusion of Safety

I n the past 10 years, headlines have been dominated by incidents of police violence , from the tragic killing of Michael Brown, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and most recently Sonya Massey to the numerous protests that followed. These events have sparked a national conversation about the role and history of policing in the United States. The history of policing in the U.S. is neither linear nor monolithic. Instead, it is fragmented and developed differently in various regions. But one aspect of its history stands out clearly: U.S. policing wasn’t constructed out of a desire for public safety but out of a desire to preserve power and the status quo.

From its inception, policing in the U.S. has been a colonial project, with international dimensions that connect directly to imperialism. Early colonial formations of policing included slave patrols in the South and watchmen policing groups in the North. Slave patrols emerged in the early 1700s, designed to enforce slavery and prevent enslaved people from rebelling or escaping. These patrols were authorized to use violence and terror to control Black populations. In the North, early watch systems began in the 1600s, focusing on protecting property and maintaining public order, which often meant safeguarding the interests of the wealthy and powerful. The Texas Rangers, established in 1835, represent another early form of policing aimed at maintaining the interests of settlers and suppressing Indigenous populations.

The rise of industrial capitalism in the 19th century brought about new forms of policing , including the use of police to break strikes and suppress labor organizing. The first major city police department was established in Boston in 1838, followed by New York City in 1845, and Chicago in 1851. These early police forces were employed to protect capital and maintain the status quo during periods of labor unrest, illustrating how policing has long been a tool of economic control. This trend continued into the 20th century, with police frequently called upon to quell protests and labor strikes, using violence and intimidation to suppress worker demands for better conditions and wages.

Resistance to police violence and legitimacy crises have played significant roles in shaping the history of policing. And historically, the response to dissent against policing has been to strengthen policing and embed it more deeply into the social fabric of everyday life.

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Governments, media, and mainstream social institutions have socialized us to believe that police are the only organizations that can effectively provide public safety. This belief justifies the idea that police need to maintain a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. For most of modern history, though, police weren’t seen this way. Instead, they were viewed as a violent occupying force serving the interests of those in power. For the communities targeted by police violence, the idea that police weren’t created in the interest of safety isn’t surprising. Police are said to be the stewards of public safety, but across the country, policing emerged in the 17th century as a tool of racial and class domination and control. The professionalization era of police, which began in the early 1900s and sought to address widespread corruption and the problems of policing, transformed policing practices but did not address the problems of policing: police power itself . The police violence we see today is not a fluke or aberration. The criminal-legal system today is not broken; it is operating exactly as it was designed to: as a violent tool of race and class control that protects very few.

The mid-1900s saw significant investments and efforts by politicians and police leaders that set history on a course where policing would swell in ways that few could have predicted. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on crime reinforced the public perception that local law enforcement was the only legitimate guardian of public safety. The 1965 Law Enforcement Assistance Act (LEAA) created a federal funding stream that expanded local law enforcement's capacity to acquire military-grade gear and hire more officers. Over the years, billions of dollars have been funneled into local law enforcement, allowing police to acquire more technology and equipment for biased crime control and protest suppression efforts. Despite differences in policing models, the use of policing to control and punish marginalized communities has remained constant.

Internationally, U.S. policing methods have been exported to support colonial and imperial efforts seeking to expand empire . For example, during the Cold War, the U.S. trained police forces in allied countries to suppress Communist movements and maintain control over colonized populations. This exchange of tactics between imperial armies and police forces highlights the interconnectedness of domestic and international strategies of control. The use of counterinsurgency techniques, developed by military forces to manage colonized populations, became a staple in American policing, particularly in managing protests and civil unrest.

Today, police and prison spending consume hundreds of billions of dollars that could be spent developing community infrastructures and nonpunitive alternatives to prisons and policing. The criminal-legal system, with its origins in racial and class control, has evolved to maintain the same functions under the guise of public safety. The police violence we witness today is not an anomaly but a continuation of a historical pattern designed to preserve power and control over marginalized communities.

In the 1960s, as political resistance grew, policing expanded. The violence of policing was widespread, and police used brutal tactics to suppress protests and maintain racial segregation and discrimination. During the civil rights movement, police violence was brought into the national spotlight, shocking the conscience of the nation and galvanizing support for the civil rights cause. Police employed attack dogs, high-pressure water cannons, and tear gas against protestors. These tactics were part of a larger strategy to repress activism and maintain racial segregation and discrimination. Police also enforced racial boundaries at parks, schools, modes of transportation, pools, and entire communities.

As policing expanded, law enforcement was given a large degree of latitude, enabling the mass arrest and incarceration of Black and increasingly Latinx people, a legacy that continues today. The professionalization era of policing that began in the early 20th century and the federal embalming of the 1960s with President Johnson's war on crime began shifting perceptions. This period marked the beginning of rebranding efforts—which some have coined police propaganda, or “ copaganda ”—that have positioned the police as crime stoppers and the stewards of public safety. These efforts, supported by federal funds, facilitated a rebranding of police from enforcers of marginalization and political control to perceived protectors of public safety. The promises of police to expand the category deemed worthy of protection and the idea that police are capable of reform further shifted perceptions. This expansion of policing and rebranding efforts in all areas of society led to the shift in public perception, portraying police as essential crime stoppers rather than instruments of social control.

Despite promises of reform, policing continues to focus on reinforcing power structures. These power structures center largely on capital and profit accrual, which have a history of organizing themselves along racial lines. Understanding the origins and evolution of policing in the United States reveals its true purpose: maintaining social control and protecting the interests of the powerful.

We must reimagine public safety in ways that do not rely on coercion and violence but instead focus on community-based solutions that address the root causes of harm and inequality. The rebranding efforts that have positioned the police as crime stoppers and stewards of public safety, alongside their historical and contemporary roles, underscore the need for a fundamental rethinking of public safety beyond policing.

Excerpted from the book BEYOND POLICING by Philip V. McHarris. Copyright © 2024 by Philip V. McHarris. Reprinted with permission of Legacy Lit. All rights reserved.

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