If people aren’t punished how will they ever learn their lesson? Not all punishments work on all people, but the most effective treatment for criminals is jail. People need to learn their lesson and sometimes a slap on the wrist just isn’t good enough. In jail criminals have time to think about what they have done and what they would have done differently, not just regret getting caught. Not all criminals are bad people; they just need some guidance. They can receive that guidance in jail. Jail can be a way for criminals to turn their lives around.
In jail criminals can learn to work hard and learn from their mistakes. They should be taught a skill, so that they can work when they get out of jail and be a contributing part of society. Of course jail isn’t exactly a pleasant place to be, but that’s just another way to prevent crime. Criminals should still have fair treatment and respect in jail so that they can see that is life crime is not necessary. The solitude can teach a person a valuable lesson they would not have learned otherwise. Jail can change a person’s whole outlook on life. Jail isn’t a place where anyone wants to be, but it’s where some people need to be.
Obviously different crimes call for different punishments, but the only difference is jail time. Some people need to be there for the protection of others and sometimes even themselves. You also need to look into the reasons behind a crime, but it was still committed, so they belong in jail. Some people are just young, stupid, reckless, or all of the above, but some people actually are dangerous. People can lose their whole life in jail or at least many years that they can never get back. I know people that have lost so much because of one big mistake, but now they have wonderful lives, families, and jobs. In jail people will see the problems in their life and hopefully fix them. Jail doesn’t fix everyone’s problems, and not everyone learns their lesson, but I guarantee it does change their lives forever.