crime writing essay ielts

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/ Essay Topics with sample answer.

Ielts essay # 287 - fixed punishments for each type of crime, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, 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..

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Crime Based Opinion Essay in IELTS: Here’s all about the IELTS Writing Task 2 You should Know

The IELTS writing section is divided into two parts, Task 1 and Task 2. The IELTS writing task 2 consists of 66% of your marks in this section. You must allocate at least forty minutes to writing it. The essay contains at least 250 words. You will be marked on the response to the question you give, the coherence and cohesion of your answer, the vocabulary and the grammar of your answer.

These essays are formal and some common question types are discussion questions, opinion questions, advantage/ disadvantage questions, and direct questions. Writing task 2 is the same for both the academic and the general training IELTS, but the questions asked in the general training IELTS are easier and much simpler. Crime Based opinion essay is some of the most common questions asked in the IELTS writing task 2. Continue reading this article to know more about crime essays in IELTS writing task 2.

Also Read: IELTS Writing Task 2 Samples: Exam Questions & Answers to Target Minimum Band 8

Crime-Fighting Essay Writing in IELTS

Sample topic.

Crime is a big problem in the world; many believe that nothing can be done to prevent it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion. Crime is unquestionably one of the most prevailing and worrying aspects of any society, and its prevention should be taken seriously. Crime prevention can be executed in various ways, firstly through a sustained honest presence in the community and secondly through international cooperation. A local presence by incorruptible law enforcement authorities may be costly, however, the long-term investment would pay dividends in the future. A safer region would encourage trade, investment and set an invaluable example for younger generations. For example, crime has dramatically been reduced in the Favelas around Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. This was achieved largely through the government committing large funds of money to station police headquarters in and around the slums. These financial expenditures greatly benefited the community.

Lead towards Conclusion

Secondly, due to the large-scale severity and the global impact that crime has in some areas of the world, global cooperation is critical. Operating differently would incur significant financial losses and render any expenditure futile. For example, Somalian pirates in Africa have reigned terror amongst many ocean transport companies in the area. Only through large-scale international cooperation was policing the area possible. Therefore, crime reduction can be attributed to a joint effort between countries. To conclude, illegal activities are a costly and dangerous fact in the present global economy; however, large-scale government investment prevention is an attainable goal. Also, spreading the expense through international cooperation the resources invested can be significantly more effective in reducing criminals’ effectiveness abroad.

Also Read: Is there a Fact Check in Essay Writing in IELTS? Here’s a list of Do’s and Don’t

The Crime Rate in India IELTS Essay

In many countries, the amount of crime is increasing. What do you think are the main causes of crime? How can we deal with those causes? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience. Many nations are witnessing a drastic rise in crime rates. I think this is attributable to multiple reasons such as lack of education, unemployment, an inefficient judicial system, to name a few. Firstly, education plays a crucial role in shaping an individual’s character. It is education that makes us capable of differentiating right and wrong early in our childhood. Lack of basic education is one of the primary causes of increasing crimes. For example, in my country India, the vast majority of the population is illiterate. This has a deleterious impact on society as a whole because people turn to crime without any thought, they cannot comprehend what’s right and wrong. To deal with this issue, primary education should be made available to everyone without any fees and the government should take serious measures to make this mandatory for everybody.

Furthermore, the other main cause of the spike in crime rates is unemployment. As it is rightly said,” An empty mind is a devil’s workshop.” When people cannot find work, they have all the free time in the world. They think of crime as a shortcut to obtaining and possessing the riches of life, without any hard work. To tackle this problem, authorities should focus on increasing jobs and also introducing some compensation for unemployed people. Instead of such compensation, they should be made to do social and community work. Also, an inefficient judicial system is equally to be blamed. Failing to punish criminals in time is yet another reason why people are not afraid of committing a crime. To exemplify, India reported the cruellest and inhuman gang rape case a few years ago. It got global attention, there was a mass protest, people demanded immediate justice. Despite such a movement, it took over three years to come out with a judgment, and yet the criminals have still not been executed. In such cases, it is the slow and laid-back judicial system that is responsible for many rape cases being reported every single day. I think, if the government imposes severe implications on violating laws, crime rates will see a rapid fall.

Add Conclusion

To conclude, there is an urgent need for governments to focus on addressing illiteracy and unemployment problems, which attribute to the rise of crime rates. At the same time, it demands strengthening the judicial system so people fear the repercussions of committing a crime.

ALSO READ IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics 2021 with Answers: Common Topics for Your IELTS Preparation

Increase in Juvenile Crime IELTS Essay

It is often thought that the increase in juvenile crime can be attributed to violence in the media. What do you think is the reason for the growth in the rate of juvenile crime? What solutions can you offer to deal with this situation?

Sample Answer

It is considered by some that the high rate of juvenile delinquency is linked to the aggression displayed by the media. In my opinion, the violence portrayed by the media does play a key role in the escalating rate of crimes committed by youth; however, I also believe that video game violence contributes to this issue. Several solutions should be implemented to deal with juvenile crime. Young adults are highly influenced by the media; since the media often shows that heroes are violent and are rewarded for their behavior, they become role models for youth. In other words, young adults try to imitate the behavior they see believing it makes them “cool” to carry weapons and resolve their issues through aggression. Additionally, children who watch television become desensitized to violence and they come to see it as a way of life. Hence, vulnerable youth who have been victimized may be tempted to commit crimes as a means of resolving problems.

The impact of violent video games on adolescents is another important reason ascribing to the increase of juvenile delinquency. The atrocities and brutalities exhibited by many video games have destructive influences on the behaviour of teenagers making them more hostile. To illustrate, studies have shown that some video games can alter brain chemistry and have an effect on the development of children causing them to become addicted to the game and developing aggressive behaviour. Thus, when these youth go out in the real-world, some attempt to re-enact those games without thinking of the consequences.

There are a few effective solutions to the crimes committed by juveniles. Parents should supervise their children and monitor their actions. Adolescents should not be excessively exposed to violence. Mentoring and educating young adults about the consequences of their actions is also crucial. Another effective solution is to provide counselling and therapy for troubled children and teenagers who have had problems in the past and have a hard time dealing with them. All of the above points should be implemented to successfully decrease juvenile crime. In conclusion, supervising, guiding, and providing help for youth who are exposed to too much violence is vital to decrease the crime rate and for their overall well-being.

Also Read: How to Write Agree and Disagree Essays in IELTS? Tips to Write the Perfect Essay

This section accounts for a major portion of the writing section hence you must perform well in this section. These articles might have given you a clear idea about the different types of questions asked in the IELTS writing section 2 and how should you answer these questions to achieve a good band score. To read more such articles on the IELTS writing task 2 visit the IELTS Ninja website . You can read more about the crime essays in IELTS writing task 2 here.

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Crime: IELTS Topic Ideas, Grammar, Vocabulary and Sample Answers

October 12, 2023 By Ben Worthington

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In this tutorial, we discuss crime IELTS Topic Ideas, grammar, vocabulary and sample answers.

We look at:

• Specific vocabulary, collocations, and phrases related to crime.
• What are cleft sentences and how to use it in the IELTS Topic crime.
• Model essay on the Pros and cons of imprisonment versus rehabilitation.
• Sample answers for IELTS speaking part three questions about crime.

Join many other students who have achieved IELTS success with our online course or get instant writing feedback with our online IELTS essay checker . 

You can download or listen to the full tutorial here:

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About Ben Worthington

As the founder of IELTSPodcast, Ben started his journey as an English educator in 2006. Ben and his team of teachers provide students with expert advice, twice a week to cover the writing, reading, listening and speaking sections of the IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay About Crime – Innate or Environmental?

Posted by David S. Wills | Dec 19, 2020 | Model Essays | 0

Today, I want to share with you an essay I wrote recently that I think is useful to demonstrate some good language and also a strong approach to structure for task 2 . This essay deals with the tricky topic of crime and in particular it asks whether criminals are driven by circumstances or whether the criminal mentality is innate.

Analysing the Question

First of all, let’s look at the question. It is important to study it properly in order to give a good answer.

Some think most crime is the result of circumstances e.g. poverty and other social problems. Others believe that most crime is caused by people who are bad by nature. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

This is a “discuss both views” question, which means that it is pretty straightforward to understand. There are two views and we need to discuss them both and also give our own opinion:

• Criminals are driven by their circumstances
• Criminals are innately bad people

These two ideas are the ones you should discuss in the body of your essay and you should choose one of the following positions:

• Agree with the first position
• Agree with the second position
• Partially agree with both (ie a balanced view)  

Do you need to talk about the example given in the question?

Often, when I mark essays for my IELTS writing correction service , I notice that students devote a lot of their essay to the examples given in the question. However, these are just examples and they are not the whole question. You should not become too fixated upon them.

In this case, the examples are “poverty and other social problems.” You can choose to talk about these or ignore them, but you definitely should not act like these are the main point of the question. They are simply there to illustrate what “circumstances” means.

When it comes to “discuss both views” questions, your structure is pretty easy. I would recommend writing an essay like this:

This is very simple, but of course it is more of a challenge to actually write the essay.

My position in this essay is that crime is generally a result of a person’s circumstances, but that there are some traits that may be innate. I will deal with the innate aspect first, then slightly refute it, before concentrating on the circumstances viewpoint.

My structure will look like this:

This essay would fulfil all the necessary criteria for a high band score if written with good vocabulary and grammar.

Picking the Right Vocabulary

I wrote an article recently about the crime and punishment topic in the IELTS exam. I also made this video about the topic to help you learn vocabulary:

In this particular essay, I don’t really need to talk about aspects of punishment, so it is not important to focus on that. Rather, I would look at words related to crime and criminals, and also into ideas about environment and biology.

By those last two words, I mean the issue of nature vs nurture . This refers to whether people are born with certain traits or develop them over their life. It would be good to know about this at even a basic level in order to give a good answer.

Here are some words and phrases from my essay:

• innately bad
• a more liberal approach
• acts of desperation
• hereditary psychological condition
• predilection towards violence
• controversial perspective
• traumatic backgrounds
• criminal compunctions
• impoverished communities
• crime flourishes
• overlook social norms
• empathic perspective
• conditioned
• unfortunate circumstances

You can see how these are used in the following essay.

Sample Band 9 Answer

Throughout history, people tended to believe that crimes were committed by those who were innately bad, but in the modern era a more liberal approach has led to the idea that crimes are often acts of desperation, committed by people whose circumstances are bleak. This essay will explore both perspectives, concluding that the latter is usually true.

First of all, it should be noted that some crimes are committed by people who appear innately driven towards such acts. These people may have some sort of hereditary psychological condition that means they do not feel empathy for others, or a predilection towards violence. This is a controversial perspective and although it feels true for many, it is hard to prove. Many of the most violent criminals have traumatic backgrounds, such as child abuse, neglect, or sexual assault, which suggests that they were not born with their criminal compunctions, but rather that these developed very early, which thus places them more into the circumstances than nature category. However, the lines are blurry.

Certainly, it does seem as though most criminals are created out of difficult circumstances. To understand this, one just has to look at impoverished communities around the world. These are places where crime flourishes because the people there are desperate and forced to do immoral things in order to survive. In such states of despair, people tend to put themselves first and overlook social norms, laws, and the usual empathic perspective that would stop most people from hurting others. In such areas, people tend to be conditioned for a young age to ignore the law or even social decency, joining gangs and becoming influenced by dangerous people. This tends to be a problem due to a lack of resources, opportunities, and education in such areas.

In conclusion, it appears likely that most crime is the result of people’s unfortunate circumstances, meaning that criminals are not inherently bad. However, there may be some people who were born with a certain compunction towards violent or criminal activity.

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 Essay: Crime Amongst Youngsters

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 6 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of more crimes being committed by youngsters from the real IELTS exam.

Please consider supporting me on Patreon.com/howtodoielts to receive my exclusive IELTS Ebooks – you can even sign up for private live lessons with me!

In many countries, crimes rates amongst younger people has been rising.

Discuss the causes and solutions for this problem.

Criminal rates among younger offenders have been rising in certain countries. In my opinion, this is largely due to individual economic factors and the best solutions are related to ensuring stable employment for the majority of citizens.

The primary reasons for rises in youth crime are economic. There has been a persistent global recession in many nations since the world economic crisis of 2008. For example, countries such as Greece have been struggling for many years to reestablish core industries and stimulate economic growth to sustain high living standards. When the economy is in decline and fewer jobs are available, crime rates naturally rise as a result. This has been exacerbated in the last 2 years as Covid-19 has decimated national economies and put millions out of work. Young people with little savings are often the most vulnerable since they have fewer employable skills and less work experience.

Crime rates among younger individuals will recede with economic stimulus plans directed at job creation and education. The countries that have been able to survive and prosper during economic uncertainty tend to be those with mature economies, flexible governments, and a well-educated populace. In northern Europe, for instance, welfare states were able to support the underprivileged and many citizens with university degrees only had to wait in order for business to stabilize. The result of individuals having jobs is the motive for crime disappears in the vast majority of cases and police can focus on less common causes such as mental illness, greed, and jealousy.

In conclusion, the rise in youth crimes in a period of imperiled economies can be countered by government initiatives aimed at this same underlying cause. Addressing the symptoms of crime is simply a short-term solution.

1. Criminal rates among younger offenders have been rising in certain countries. 2. In my opinion, this is largely due to individual economic factors and the best solutions are related to ensuring stable employment for the majority of citizens.

• Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. The primary reasons for rises in youth crime are economic. 2. There has been a persistent global recession in many nations since the world economic crisis of 2008. 3. For example, countries such as Greece have been struggling for many years to reestablish core industries and stimulate economic growth to sustain high living standards. 4. When the economy is in decline and fewer jobs are available, crime rates naturally rise as a result. 5. This has been exacerbated in the last 2 years as Covid-19 has decimated national economies and put millions out of work. 6. Young people with little savings are often the most vulnerable since they have fewer employable skills and less work experience.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Develop it with specific examples.
• Keep developing it fully.
• Stay focused on the same main idea.
• Conclude with a strong statement.

1. Crime rates among younger individuals will recede with economic stimulus plans directed at job creation and education. 2. The countries that have been able to survive and prosper during economic uncertainty tend to be those with mature economies, flexible governments, and a well-educated populace. 3. In northern Europe, for instance, welfare states were able to support the underprivileged and many citizens with university degrees only had to wait in order for business to stabilize. 4. The result of individuals having jobs is the motive for crime disappears in the vast majority of cases and police can focus on less common causes such as mental illness, greed, and jealousy.

• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Explain your new main idea.
• Include specific details and examples.
• Continue developing it fully!

1. In conclusion, the rise in youth crimes in a period of imperiled economies can be countered by government initiatives aimed at this same underlying cause. 2. Addressing the symptoms of crime is simply a short-term solution.

• Summarise your main ideas.
• Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

The primary reasons for rises in youth crime are economic. There has been a persistent global recession in many nations since the world economic crisis of 2008 . For example, countries such as Greece have been struggling for many years to reestablish core industries and stimulate economic growth to sustain high living standards . When the economy is in decline and fewer jobs are available , crime rates naturally rise as a result . This has been exacerbated in the last 2 years as Covid-19 has decimated national economies and put millions out of work . Young people with little savings are often the most vulnerable since they have fewer employable skills and less work experience .

Crime rates among younger individuals will recede with economic stimulus plans directed at job creation and education. The countries that have been able to survive and prosper during economic uncertainty tend to be those with mature economies, flexible governments , and a well-educated populace . In northern Europe , for instance, welfare states were able to support the underprivileged and many citizens with university degrees only had to wait in order for business to stabilize . The result of individuals having jobs is the motive for crime disappears in the vast majority of cases and police can focus on less common causes such as mental illness , greed , and jealousy .

In conclusion, the rise in youth crimes in a period of imperiled economies can be countered by government initiatives aimed at this same underlying cause . Addressing the symptoms of crime is simply a short-term solutions .

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

criminal rates number of people committing crimes

younger offenders youths committing crimes

rising growing

certain specific

largely mostly

due to because of

individual economic factors isolated problems related to business

related to concerning

ensuring making sure of

stable employment consistent jobs

majority most of

primary reasons main causes

persistent global recession consistent economies shrinking

world economic crisis of 2008 big problem with finances, recession

struggling having difficulty with

reestablish core industries start back up important businesses

stimulate economic growth encourage business growth

sustain high living standards keep quality of life high

in decline going down

available out there that can be taken

naturally of course

as a result the outcome is

exacerbated hurting

decimated hurt

put millions out of work lots of people jobless

little savings not much money in the bank

vulnerable weak

fewer employable skills not as many abilities to help you get a job

less work experience not as much time working in the past

recede begin to disappear

economic stimulus plans action to pump money into the economy

directed at aimed at

survive get by

prosper during economic uncertainty do well when the economy is bad

mature fully developed

flexible governments nations responding well to events

well-educated populace smart citizens

northern Europe countries like Sweden, Denmark, Germany, etc.

welfare states countries that support citizens a lot

support help

underprivileged poor

stabilize make sure it is ok

motive reason

disappears goes away

vast majority of cases most instances

less common causes not as popular reasons

mental illness sick in the head

greed desiring money

jealousy envy

period time

imperiled economies economies in trouble

countered by resolved by

initiatives actions, proposals, laws

aimed at with the purpose of

underlying cause foundational reason

addressing dealing with

symptoms what comes from a disease – not the cause itself, effects

short-term solutions will just work for now

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search :

ˈkrɪmɪnl reɪts   ˈjʌŋər əˈfɛndəz   ˈraɪzɪŋ   ˈsɜːtn   ˈlɑːʤli   djuː tuː   ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈfæktəz   rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː   ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ   ˈsteɪbl ɪmˈplɔɪmənt   məˈʤɒrɪti   ˈpraɪməri ˈriːznz   pəˈsɪstənt ˈgləʊbəl rɪˈsɛʃən   wɜːld ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈkraɪsɪs ɒv   tuː ˈθaʊzənd ænd eɪt ˈstrʌglɪŋ   ˌriːɪsˈtæblɪʃ kɔːr ˈɪndəstriz   ˈstɪmjʊleɪt ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk grəʊθ   səsˈteɪn haɪ ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈstændədz ɪn dɪˈklaɪn   ˈfjuːə   əˈveɪləbl ˈnæʧrəli   æz ə rɪˈzʌlt ɛksˈæsə(ː)beɪtɪd   ˈdɛsɪmeɪtɪd   pʊt ˈmɪljənz aʊt ɒv wɜːk ˈlɪtl ˈseɪvɪŋz   ˈvʌlnərəbl   ˈfjuːər ɪmˈplɔɪəbl skɪlz   lɛs wɜːk ɪksˈpɪərɪəns ri(ː)ˈsiːd   ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈstɪmjʊləs plænz   dɪˈrɛktɪd æt   səˈvaɪv   ˈprɒspə ˈdjʊərɪŋ ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ʌnˈsɜːtnti   məˈtjʊə   ˈflɛksəbl ˈgʌvnmənts wɛl-ˈɛdju(ː)keɪtɪd ˈpɒpjʊləs ˈnɔːðən ˈjʊərəp ˈwɛlfeə steɪts   səˈpɔːt   ˌʌndəˈprɪvɪlɪʤd   ˈsteɪbɪlaɪz ˈməʊtɪv   ˌdɪsəˈpɪəz   vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti ɒv ˈkeɪsɪz   lɛs ˈkɒmən ˈkɔːzɪz   ˈmɛntl ˈɪlnɪs griːd ˈʤɛləsi ˈpɪərɪəd   ɪmˈpɛrɪld i(ː)ˈkɒnəmiz   ˈkaʊntəd baɪ   ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪvz   eɪmd æt   ˌʌndəˈlaɪɪŋ kɔːz əˈdrɛsɪŋ   ˈsɪmptəmz   ʃɔːt-tɜːm səˈluːʃənz

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

C_________________s among y_________________s have been r_______g in c_______n countries. In my opinion, this is l________y d_______o i______________________s and the best solutions are r____________o e_____________g s______________________t for the m___________y of citizens.

The p__________________s for rises in youth crime are economic. There has been a p_________________________n in many nations since the w______________________________8 . For example, countries such as Greece have been s____________g for many years to r__________________________s and s_________________________________h to s_________________________________s . When the economy is i______________e and f________r jobs are a__________e , crime rates n______________y rise a____________t . This has been e______________d in the last 2 years as Covid-19 has d____________d national economies and p________________________k . Young people with l_________________s are often the most v____________e since they have f________________________s and l_______________________e .

Crime rates among younger individuals will r___________e with e_______________________s d_____________t job creation and education. The countries that have been able to s_____________e and p________________________________________y tend to be those with m_________e economies, f__________________________s , and a w______________________e . In n____________________e , for instance, w__________________s were able to s__________t the u__________________d and many citizens with university degrees only had to wait in order for business to s_________e . The result of individuals having jobs is the m_________e for crime d____________s in the v___________________________s and police can focus on l_____________________s such as m___________________s , g______d , and j_________y .

In conclusion, the rise in youth crimes in a p________d of i____________________s can be c__________________y government i_________________________t this same u__________________e . A_____________g the s______________s of crime is simply a s______________________s .

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice :

https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/youth-crime

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

Truth in Crime

• Why do witnesses of crimes sometimes disagree in their accounts?
• How can modern technology help solve crimes?
• Will teaching children to be honest reduce crime in the future?
• Should there be more severe penalties for crimes like libel?
• How will the detection of lies change in the future?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Some people believe that children that commit crimes should be punished. Others think the parents should be punished instead.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Children & Crime (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

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Very good essay about Crime. You should read the essay.

Thanks, Bob!

I really appreciate everything which you share with us! I just have some questions if you don’t mind can you check these sentences ‘grammar?

You wrote these sentences: [ The primary reasons for rises in youth crime are economic.] [the rise in youth crimes in a period of imperiled economies can be countered by government initiatives aimed at this same underlying cause. Addressing the symptoms of crime are simply short-term solutions.]

1) in youth crimes or in youth crime which is right? 2) Addressing the symptoms of crime ( are ) -> i think addressing is a subject, so it might use a single verb.

I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

You’re welcome, Soo!

For your questions:

1. crime or crimes are both find there – because it can be use as a countable noun (crimes) or as the adjective and general noun (youth crime) 2. You are right – thanks for noticing that and I have changed it!

Thanks, Soo!

Oh~ How awesome you are! I truly appreciate it! Thank you!! Take care ! *(^—————————-^)*

You too, Soo!

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Crime and Punishment Vocabulary

Updated On Sep 26, 2022

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Table of Contents

Expressing views about crime and punishment.

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Law, Crime and the Legal System and its related issues rank among the top ten most common IELTS Writing Task 2 topics. Here is a set of useful collocations and phrases for IELTS writing task 2 on this topic. Learning these will help you familiarize yourself with the topic and give you some relevant ideas about crime and legal issues to write about.

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This post will cover a wide range of collocations and vocabulary related to crime and punishment that will enable IELTS candidates to boost their band score for IELTS writing to Band  7.0+

1. The crime rate:  a measure of the number of crimes in a particular area during a period of time.

“The reduction of the crime rate is the main goal for lawmakers.

2. To commit a crime:  does something wrong or illegal.

“In the US, a young person who commits a crime by stealing a car will almost certainly go to prison.”

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3. Prison sentence:  the period of time served in prison under such as a sentence.

“It is the heated debate that government have to pass lenient laws that would avoid the  prison sentence while others think it would increase the crime rate in our society.”

4. Deterrent:  a punishment makes somebody less likely to do illegal activities.

“The death penalty acts as a deterrent to people who wish to bring drugs illegally into another country.”

5. Loss of freedom: Restriction, imprisonment.

“Loss of freedom is a punishment that offenders have to face when they go to jail.”

6. White-collar crime:  Crimes committed by “office works”, for example, fraud.

“More and more employees who work in a bank turn into crime as white-collar crime.”

7. Be put on probation:  To be under supervision to ensure their good behavior.

“Sometimes first-time offenders are not imprisoned but are put on probation for a set period of time to ensure their good behavior.”

8 . Social isolation:  the state of separating somebody from our society.

“The offenders have to serve the prison sentence as the social isolation to remain safety of society.”

9. A violent criminal:  Includes assault, mugging and robbery.

“A student who is bullied at school may turn into a violent criminal  when they grow up.

10. Motive for crime:  The reason why people commit crimes.

” A desire for revenge on his wife is a motive for his crime as murder. “

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11. Allay the fears: to make someone feel less afraid, worried.

“I believe that some solutions could help to allay people’s fears.”

12. Turn to a career of crime:  become a criminal.

“Nowadays, in the harshly competitive labor market, the unemployment rate is rising rapidly, more and more people cannot meet the basic human’s need that is maybe a reason for them to turn to a career of crime. “

13. To be imprisoned:  Go to a jail.

” Being imprisoned is the best way to punish offenders for their guilty. “

14. To breed future offenders:  influence people, especially young people, in such a way that they later commit a crime.

“Parents should give more attention to their offspring in order to avoid breeding future offenders .”

15. Easy money:  Money that you get without working hard for it, especially when you do illegal activities to get this money.

“To make easy money, the bank robbery have stolen two billion dollars from five international banks in this year.”

16. To break the law:  do something illegal.

“If a person breaks the law , he is certainly imprisoned .”

17. To resort to crime:  to use crime because there is no other solution.

“After losing all money from the game, the men resorted to crime to get easy money .”

18. Illegal activities:  the illegal acts.

“It is alarming that more and more youngsters turn into i llegal activities. “

19. Fall foul of the law:  to get into trouble with the police because you are doing something illegal.

“In Vietnam, if the company discharges the huge amount of untreated waste into rivers, they certainly fall foul of the law. “

20. Juvenile delinquency:  Antisocial behavior committed by people under eighteen years old.

“It is true that juvenile delinquency rate is increasing alarmingly, which could jeopardize the social stability.”

21. Soaring crime rates: crime rates rising very fast.

Example: We are facing off soaring crime rates and it’s high time the criminals were brought to justice .

22. Miscarriages of justice: Situation where innocent people are found guilty.

Example: There have been a multitude of miscarriages of justice recently.

23. Trumped-up charges: invented and false accusations.

24. Face trial : face a legal court case.

Example: No one in the world should face trial on the basis of unreliable evidence or trumped-up charges.

25. Escape punishment: Not facing any consequences for a crime.

Example: The boys escaped punishment as they were related to the judge.

26. Custodial sentences: a sentence to be served in a prison or similar institution

27. Commit minor offences : Doing small crimes.

Example: While the rich always seem to escape punishment, poor people seem to receive custodial sentences even for committing minor offences

28. Extenuating circumstances: circumstances that lessen the blame

29. Serve out one’s sentence: serve the full amount of time

Courts and Trials

The trial was adjourned: the trial was suspended till a later time or date.

To be remanded in custody: send to prison until the trial begins or continues.

Dismiss the case: Decide that the case is not worth considering.

Unanimous verdict: verdict which all the decision makers agree to.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt : With full proof.

Contest the verdict: Disagree with the verdict and tried to change it.

Other Useful Expressions and Phrases for Crime and Punishment Topic :

• Capital punishments | Death penalty
• To sentence criminals to death
• A form of revenge
• A criminal record
• To engage in unlawful activities
• To re-offend
• Criminals = Wrongdoers = Lawbreakers = Convicts = Offenders
• Rehabilitated prisoners
• Community service
• Prison sentences
• Unlawful actions
• To deter/discourage people from doing something
• To send somebody to prison

Exercises :

Exercise 1: rewrite the underlined part of each of these extracts from conversations using the collocation below to make them sound more like extracts from newspaper reports..

Soaring crime rates Dismiss Escape punishment was adjourned

1. Why should young criminals get away without being punished for crimes just because of their age? 2.  An increasing number of crimes per head of the population have been recorded in the last twelve months. 3 The judge threw out the case because he felt the evidence was not strong enough . 4 The judge said that the trial would now take place next month.

Exercise 2. Choose the correct collocation.

1. If you are remanded in custody, you are kept in prison/ obliged to pay some money/ allowed to go home. 2. Someone might get out of prison early for good/soaring / extenuating behavior. 3. If you serve out a sentence, you are  kept in prison for the full amount of time / released from prison early /kept in prison for life. 4. If you get a custodial sentence, you  only serve the sentence if you commit another crime / go to prison / have to do some community service.

Exercise 3. Correct the mistakes with prepositions in the collocations.

1 The witness appeared on court for the first time today. 2 He was put in trial for murder. 3 The murderer was soon brought into justice. 4 He was later remanded on custody. 5 The ease against Mr. Sharp was proved over reasonable doubt.

Exercise 4. Come up with Answers for the following topics related to Crime in IELTS Writing Task 2 and post it in the comment section below or on Writingielts.net to be checked and scored by IELTS experts.

Writing ielts task 2 topic 1 :.

Studies show that criminals get low level of education. Some people believe that the best way to reduce the crime is educating people in prison so they can get a job after leaving prison. To what extent do you agree or disagree? You can read Band 9.0 Sample Answer here .

Writing IELTS Task 2 Topic 2 :

In some countries, a high proportion of criminal acts are committed by teenagers. Why has this happened? What can be done to deal with this? You can read Band 9.0 Sample Answer here .

Writing IELTS Task 2 Topic 3 :

Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is the best way to tell them about dangers of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree? You can read Band 9.0 Sample Answer here .

Exercise 5. Complete each sentence

1 He has been in court on several previous occasions but only for committing offences. 2 Unfortunately, there have been a number of……………………of justice recently. 3 The jury was quick to reach a……………………verdict, finding the accused guilty. 4 This is the sixth time the accused has………………….in court. 5 The lawyer claimed that there were some………………………circumstances. 6 The accused…………………. all knowledge of the crime, but no one believed her. 7 The newspaper said…………………. had been served by the conviction of Joe Lee. 8 Charles Weiss was…………………..damages for the injury he had suffered. 9 The trial has been………………….until next week.

I hope you have found this post informative. If you have any question, please let me know in the comment below or on the Facebook page.

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Each year, the crime rate increases. What are the causes of crime and what could be done to prevent this rise in criminal activity?

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Your opinion

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If the question asks what you think, you MUST give your opinion to get a good score.

Don’t leave your opinion until the conclusion.

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...do you agree or disagree? ...do you think...? ...your opinion...?

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