ielts essay topic crime

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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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Crime and Punishment [IELTS Topics]

Posted by David S. Wills | Nov 20, 2020 | IELTS Tips | 0

If you have practised for IELTS writing, then you have more than likely encountered the IELTS topic of crime and punishment . I am not talking about the book by Russian novelist , Fyodor Dostoevsky. Instead, I mean the general topic that covers issues relating to crime, criminals, police, the law, and methods of punishing lawbreakers.

This is a pretty common topic in IELTS writing and also in the speaking test, so today I would like to show you some useful vocabulary and also to run through some crime and punishment IELTS essays so that you can better understand this topic.

IELTS Vocabulary for Crime and Punishment

If you want to prepare for the topic of crime and punishment, then you should learn some vocabulary to help you discuss it with ease. A great way to start is to read some news articles about crime. You can try searching your favourite English-language news source. I recommend the BBC , but any high-quality news outlet is fine. You might also find it useful to search Wikipedia for crime-related topics, such as “ capital punishment .” These will invariably contain many useful words. For example:

Of course, I usually stress that you should not just learn words in isolation. Try to learn groups of words that commonly go together or longer phrases that might help you. For example, you could learn some adjectives and nouns that go together:

• law-abiding citizens
• hardened criminals

It is also worth noting that the word “criminal” can be a noun or an adjective:

• criminal behaviour (adjective)
• an unrepentant criminal (noun)

Notice that I am mixing adjectives and nouns to provide more accurate and also colourful language. This is a good way to improve your writing skills – but of course it only helps when the language is used accurately.

Here is a video that I recently made covering the topic of crime and punishment as it relates to IELTS. This includes some useful vocabulary to talk about the court system:

• attorney vs solicitor
• capital punishment and its synonyms
• jail vs prison

More Vocabulary: Types of Crime and Criminals

If you want to talk about crime, then it would be useful to know the name of various crimes and also the criminal associated with them. Here’s a list of crime words I made for you:

IELTS Speaking: Crime and Punishment

The topic of crime and punishment could be considered quite controversial in some ways. Think about the issues that arise: imprisonment, violence, reforming criminals. These are serious issues that cannot be summed up in short sentences without further justification. As such, this is not a common topic for part one of the speaking test.

Likewise, you probably would not be asked to talk about this for part two. Can you imagine if the cue card said, “Describe a criminal you know?” 🤨 That would not really be appropriate. It has the potential to make people feel embarrassed or ashamed or even to completely draw a blank.

Therefore, crime and punishment mostly arises in part three of the IELTS speaking test. This is where you are asked about bigger issues that require more thought and explanation. These can be viewed as similar to the sorts of question you see in task two of the writing exam.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions: Crime

Here are some example questions and answers from part three of the speaking test:

Q: Do you think that young criminals should be sent to prison for serious crimes?

A: No, I do not think that it is right to send young offenders to prison. In fact, that seems to be the worst way to deal with them. In any advanced society, juvenile delinquents should be dealt with through education, with the intention of reforming them into law-abiding adults. Sending them to jail or prison simply puts them in contact with other criminals and makes them more likely to commit further offenses.

Q: What do you think makes people commit acts of violent crime?

A: Well, crimes have different motivations. Some are committed out of desperation and others are crimes of passion. In other words, they are spur-of-the-moment offenses that had no forethought. Then there are other crimes that are definitely pre-meditated. These are the worst ones and probably the hardest to pin down in terms of motivation. In any case, it is hard to say what makes people do these things, except that it depends entirely upon the individual case.

Q: Do you think that video games encourage young people to commit crimes?

A: No, absolutely not, and the scientific consensus nowadays appears to back that stance. The idea that video games encourage people to commit crimes is laughable. If this was true, we would have to go and censor TV and books, and even change how we report the news. People who are going to commit crimes do so for a variety of reasons, but to suggest that they do it to imitate a game is quite absurd. If someone really did claim that their crime was inspired by a computer game, they would probably be lying or else they had underlying mental issues that made them particularly susceptible to outside influences.

Crime and Punishment IELTS Essay Topics

This topic is much more common in the writing exam than other parts because it requires the expression of complex ideas. As such, you will see many IELTS writing task 2 questions about crime and punishment.

Common sub-topics include:

• young people and crime
• capital punishment
• reasons for criminal behaviour
• reforming offenders

Crime and Punishment IELTS Essay

Here is a quite representative task 2 essay question:

Some people think that offenders should be put in prison. Others, however, believe that providing offenders with education and training is more effective than putting them in prison. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Sample Band 9 Answer

For thousands of years, people have discussed the different ways of dealing with criminals, and even in the modern era there is a great degree of disagreement on this subject. Some believe that prison is an effective measure, but others argue that education and training would be better. This essay will look at both sides of the argument and then argue in favour of a balanced approach.

For centuries, prisons have been used as a way of both punishing criminals and keeping them away from law-abiding citizens. Although it works as a deterrent and also as a practical means of keeping society safe, it is not without its controversy. For one thing, prisons are notorious hubs of gang activity, and impressionable young lawbreakers can easily be moulded into hardened criminals during a short stint behind bars. Moreover, prisons are violent places where young offenders can be raped, beaten, or even killed during their sentence, and when they are released they carry with them the stigma of their incarceration. This means that they will struggle to return to normal society and, for this reason, recidivism rates can be quite high in some places. Thus, although prisons are an effective means of punishing people and keeping society safe, they are not without substantial problems.

On the other hand, educating and training criminals is controversial because people tend to think of it as overly lenient. Many law-abiding citizens believe that those who break the law should be punished harshly or else there is little reason to adhere to the rules. However, this approach should not be seen as rewarding criminals but rather rehabilitating people who were pushed to extreme actions by their unfortunate circumstances. Statistically, most prison inmates come from backgrounds of poverty and abuse, so giving them a helping hand can be more beneficial than punishing them and then hoping that they do not return to a life of crime.

In conclusion, this is an extremely complex issue that requires serious scrutiny, but it appears as though prison should be reserved only for violent and habitual offenders while the majority of petty criminals should be dealt with through education and training.

Notes on the Answer

There was a lot of great vocabulary in this answer for the purposes of a descriptive and thoughtful essay:

• impressionable young lawbreakers
• a short stint behind bars
• the stigma of their incarceration
• recidivism rates
• rehabilitating
• requires serious scrutiny
• petty criminals

Task 1 – Crime-related Essays

For IELTS writing task 1, it is also possible that you could have to describe data about crime. This is harder to predict because it really could be about almost anything, but here is an example of a line graph about various types of criminal activity:

The line graph shows changes in crime rates over a ten-year period in the city centre of Newport. Three types of crimes are listed, two of which ended the period at roughly similar levels to where they began, and one experienced a major drop.

In 2003, which was the beginning of the recorded period, burglary was the most common type of crime in Newport, with just under 3,500 cases reported. This rose slightly the following year, before entering into a long downward trend, reaching a low of about 1,200 in 2008. After this, the number of burglaries reported fluctuated until 2012.

The number of car thefts was about 2,800 in 2003, and ended the period slightly lower, at 2,700. During the decade-long period, it fluctuated, reaching low points in 2006 and 2008. Car theft was the second most common type of crime in 2003, but the fall in burglaries meant that from 2008 onwards, they were the most common crime in Newport.

Robberies were the least common crime and followed a somewhat similar trend to that of car thefts, starting and ending the period with around 700 incidents. It fluctuated only slightly during the ten-year period.

This essay originally appeared here .

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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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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Crime and punishment IELTS model essay with vocabulary

Our band nine sample essays give you the opportunity to learn from successful essays that show off the best structure, vocabulary and grammar. This IELTS essay on crime and punishment explores the advantages and disadvantages of harsh punishment for criminals.

band Nine Sample Essay

In some countries, crimes are punished harshly. what are some advantages and disadvantages of this approach.

Several nations have opted to implement a system of strict penalties, such as long jail sentences and execution, for crimes. In this essay, I will explore the advantage that this is a good deterrent with the disadvantage that this harms rehabilitation .

Punitive measures can help deter future crime. If people can see that crimes will be punished harshly, they are far less likely to want to commit a crime . Because people consider risk versus reward before acting, making crime as risky as possible by increasing punishment can stop criminals. Conversely, when countries have light punishments for crimes like shoplifting , people in those countries might feel like it is worth the risk to do these crimes.

However, these strong punishments also increase recidivism by failing to rehabilitate people. One of the main purposes of sending people to prison is to prevent them from committing crimes when they leave; however, making prisons and other punishments too strict works against this purpose. When criminals have a heavily punitive experience, they lose self-confidence and become distrustful of authority , meaning they are more likely to be involved in crime when they leave prison. Alternatively, if prisoners have access to training and support, such as drug rehabilitation programs and anger management classes, they are far more likely to rejoin society in a productive way. 

In conclusion, the correct punishment for crimes is a complex issue. On the one hand, strong measures deter crime; on the other hand, the same measures make it more likely for prisoners to reoffend .

crime and punishment vocabulary

Although crime and punishment is a common topic in the IELTS exam, there, thankfully, is not too much vocabulary you need to know for it. Let’s take a look at some of the high level vocabulary in this answer to kick start your learning.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic Model Examples

Click on the task to see a Model Example

IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Without capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and crimes of violence increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

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

Write at least 250 words.

By punishing murderers with the death penalty, society is also guilty of committing murder. Therefore, life in prison is a better punishment for murderers. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

You should write at least 250 words

A lot of people believe that the amount of violence shown on TV and in the cinema affects the actions of our young people and therefore increases the amount of violence in our society today. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What can be done to reduce violence in our society today?

Write your answer in the comments below and get free feedback and correction​, more writing task 2 essay model examples, model examples, writing task 1 academic model examples, general writing task 1 model examples, are you using amazing linkers, send us your writing and we'll check, get your writing and speaking corrected.

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