Cambridge 07- Academic Test 2
Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
People are divided on how to punish lawbreakers. Some people propose that each type of crime should be assigned a fixed sentence, while others argue that the crime’s circumstances and motivation should always be considered when determining a sentence. I believe both views must be reconciled for the justice system to work efficiently and effectively.
A fixed punishment can shorten the length of a legal proceeding. When the sentence is flexible, it can take months and many legal fees to complete a prosecution, which can be frustrating, especially for those who committed a minor crime. For instance, spending weeks in court answering questions only because of a speeding ticket can become tiring. More importantly, with flexible punishments, the courtroom will become overcrowded with citizens who will eventually feel disappointed in a justice system that fails to facilitate their affairs because of the slow pace of deciding on a punishment.
However, sentencing a defendant is always complicated. Some people deserve sentence modification because of their circumstances and motives, meaning there are mitigating or aggravating circumstances that must be considered. For example, the condition of a child who commits a felony is different from that of an adult, or an act of murder motivated by self-defense should be given a lighter sentence than that of an actual murder committed based on a deliberate intention. That is why the factors leading to a crime should always be considered for the punishment to be fair.
From these discussions, I can conclude that minor crimes are more straightforward to handle, so they should not take too long in court and must be given a fixed punishment to expedite the process, which strengthens people’s trust in an efficient system. However, courts must consider various factors when deciding on the proper sentence when the offense becomes complicated and the charges are serious.
