# Purpose of prison: punish or rehabilitate: IELTS Writing Task 2 samples

Writing Task 2 - Crime

Some people believe that the main purpose of prison is to punish criminals, while others think it should be to rehabilitate them so that they do not reoffend. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 6 sample

Prison is used in every country for people who commit crimes. Some people think the main purpose of prison is punishment, but other people say it should help prisoners to change so they do not do crime again. This essay will discuss both of these view and give my own opinion.

Firstly, there are some reasons why prison should be a punishment. When a person steal or hurt someone, the victim and his family want justice. If the criminal has a comfortable life in prison, it is not fair for victims. Also, a hard punishment can make other people afraid, so they will not break the law. For example, in my country some people say that prisons are like hotels, because prisoners have television and good food, and they are angry about this.

Secondly, other people think that prison should rehabilitate criminals. Most prisoners will come back to society one day, so it is better if they learn something in prison. If they study or learn a skill like cooking or building, they can find a job after they leave and they do not need to commit crime again. Moreover, some prisoners have problems like drugs, and they need help to stop it.

In my opinion, I agree more with the second view. Prisoners already lose their freedom, and this is a big punishment. If prison only punish them, they will be more angry and when they go out they will make more crimes. However, very dangerous criminals should stay in prison for long time.

In conclusion, there are two different opinion about the purpose of prison. Although punishment is necessary, I believe that rehabilitation is more important, because it make our society more safer in the long term.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 6 essay covers both views and gives a relevant opinion, and the point that "Most prisoners will come back to society one day" is a sound reason for rehabilitation. However, the deterrence idea and the drug problem are mentioned in one sentence each, and the opinion paragraph adds a new point about dangerous criminals without explaining it. Errors such as "a person steal", "make more crimes" and "more safer" are noticeable but do not block meaning. For Band 7, each argument needs fuller explanation and more accurate grammar.

## Band 7 sample

Opinions differ on what prisons are for. Some people argue that their main role is to punish offenders, whereas others believe the priority should be rehabilitation, so that prisoners do not return to crime after release. In my opinion, rehabilitation should be the main goal, since the loss of freedom is already a serious penalty.

Those who see prison mainly as punishment make two arguments. First, they believe that justice requires offenders to suffer consequences in proportion to the harm they have caused, and that victims deserve to see this happen. Second, they claim that harsh conditions act as a deterrent, discouraging both the offender and the wider public from breaking the law. From this point of view, programmes such as university courses for inmates seem to reward criminals rather than penalise them.

On the other hand, supporters of rehabilitation point out that almost all prisoners are eventually released. If they leave prison with no qualifications, no job prospects and stronger links to other criminals, they are likely to reoffend, and the public pays the price. In contrast, prisoners who receive education, vocational training or treatment for addiction have a realistic chance of building a lawful life. Some countries in northern Europe, which focus heavily on rehabilitation, are often given as examples of this approach.

Personally, I find the second view more persuasive. Being locked away from family, friends and ordinary freedoms is itself a punishment, so there is no need to make conditions deliberately harsh. What matters most is that people leave prison less likely to cause harm than when they entered. However, I accept that a small number of dangerous offenders may need to be kept apart from society for a long time.

In conclusion, while punishment has a place in the justice system, rehabilitation should be the main purpose of prison because it protects the public more effectively.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 essay presents both views clearly and maintains its position that rehabilitation should come first because "the loss of freedom is already a serious penalty". Vocabulary such as "deterrent" and "vocational training" is used accurately. However, the northern European example is mentioned without explaining what those countries do, and the point about dangerous offenders is not connected to the main argument. A Band 8 essay would extend these ideas and show more precisely why rehabilitation protects the public.

The Band 8 and 9 samples are free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/writing/topics/task-2/purpose-of-prison).

## Common questions

### How many words should I write?

At least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Writing a little more is fine; an answer under the minimum loses marks.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Memorised material is marked down and you will not get this exact question. Use the samples to see what each band does with the same task.