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?
It is true that the crime rate is increasing in many areas of the world. Many governments react to this problem by building prisons to contain the criminals. This has proved so unsuccessful that each year bigger and tougher prisons are needed. Perhaps we need to go back to the basics of this problem and assess the possible causes.
One of the reasons that is often given is the increase in violence both on television and in computer games. While this may be responsible for making crimes more violent, I think, it is unrealistic to lay the blame for all criminal activity on the media. I think the main cause of the crime is the increasing gap between the rich and the poor, as well as the increasing use of drugs. The majority of crimes are being committed by people in need who are forced to take what they do not have and by people addicted to drugs.
Solving these problems is not easy. We could try to ensure that more jobs are created so that the divide between rich poor is reduced. However, criminals need to be trained and rehabilitated so that they can enter the workforce. Furthermore, providing employment only addresses part of this problem; so far there has been little success in the war against drugs.
I believe that crime will continue to rise, particularly in crowded and overpopulated areas, unless we can find an effective way to address these issues. Perhaps we can help to break the cycle by trying to ensure fewer young people enter a life of crime in the first place. We could do this through education and by making sure that they are able to work.
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