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CHAPTER 6. CRIME
IS IMPRISONMENT THE BEST SOLUTION?
Some people believe the best way to deter crime from being
commited (ngăn chặn sự phạm pháp) is imprisonment (sự giam
giữ phạm nhân), which remains a highly controversial topic (chủ
đề đáng tranh cãi).

To take a position (để đưa ra quan điểm của bạn), let’s

understand the advantages of imprisonment for the
society. One of the main purposes of prison is to punish
criminals and maintain public safety (duy trì an ninh công
cộng). Therefore, living conditions (điều kiện sống) should
be as uncomfortable for the prisoners as possible, with
hard wooden beds (giường gỗ cứng), monotonous food
(đồ ăn nhạt nhẽo) and few activities to relieve the
boredom (giải tỏa sự buồn chán), which make prisoners to
detest (hate sth very much) being sent there. Another
advantage I would bring is that (*a good speaking phrase*) prison is a good method to
rehabilitate offenders (cải tạo người phạm luật). By equipping them with practical skills
(kĩ năng thực tế) and fundamental knowledge (kiến thức căn bản) such as computer
programming, mechanical maintenance or graphic design, vocational training (dạy nghề)
helps inmates (prisoners) to reintegrate into (tái hòa nhập với) life outside of prison.

Skeptics (người có quan điểm trái ngược), on the other hand,

raise concerns over its effectiveness. First, imprisonment may
break up families (phá vỡ (hạnh phúc) gia đình) and cost
offenders their jobs and often their homes (cost sb sth – làm
ai đó mất đi cái gì), and there is growing evidence (ngày càng
có nhiều bằng chứng) that poverty correlate with (có mối liên hệ
giữa) higher crime rate. Second, the cost of the incarceration
system (hệ thống nhà tù) requires salaries for policemen and
administration staff who maintain basic amenities (những điều kiện sống thiết yếu) for
inmates (tù nhân), which further adds to the current national budget deficits (thâm hụt
ngân sách nhà nước).

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 134

DEATH PENALTY
Another highly controversial issue is the implementation of (sự áp dụng (luật) nào đó)
the death penalty or capital punishment (tử hình). While this punishment method is
cost-effective (tiết kiệm chi phí), since there is little budget for accommodation (chỗ ở)
or meals to criminals, it is believed to be strong enough to deter criminal intent (ngăn
chặn sự phạm pháp). Meanwhile, on the eyes of skeptics, especially Buddhists (người
theo đạo Phật), death penalty is an unethical way (1 cách vô nhân đạo) to deter crime
and it should be abolished (bãi bỏ) as soon as possible. They claim there are alternatives
(các cách thay thế) to this unethical punishment.

PRO TIPS
To act as an incentive for = như 1 sự khuyến khích cho điều gì
➔ The government’s subsidy would act as an incentive for farmers to adopt good
agricultural practices.
To act as a deterrent for = như 1 sự ngăn chặn cho điều gì
➔ The implementation of capital punishment can act as a deterrent for criminals.

CRIME EXPRESSION PHRASES

To take a position Để đưa ra quan
Cost-effective (adj) Tiết kiệm chi phí
(phrase) điểm của mình
To correlate with Có mỗi liên hệ
To abolish (v) Loại bỏ
(phrase) với

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 135

Ghét cay ghét

To detest (v)
đắng
Ngày càng
Sự giam giữ Growing evidence
Imprisonment (n) nhiều bằng
phạm nhân (phrase)
chứng
Inmate (n) Tù nhân Highly
chủ đề đáng
controversial
Accommodation (n) Chỗ ở tranh cãi
topic (phrase)
1 cách vô nhân Another
An unethical way (n)
đạo advantage I Một lợi ích khác
would bring is đó là
Alternative (n) Cách thay thế
that (phrase)
Monotonous food (n) Đồ ăn nhạt nhẽo
Living condition (n) Điều kiện sống
Vocational training
Đào tạo nghề
(phrase)
To reintegrate into
Tái hòa nhập
(phrase)
The incarceration system
Hệ thống nhà tù
(phrase)
Những điều kiện
Basic amenity (phrase)
sống thiết yếu
The implementation of Sự áp dụng của
(phrase) cái gì đó
The death penalty/
capital punishment Án tử hình
(phrase)
To deter crime from Ngăn chặn sự
being commited (phrase) phạm pháp
Hard wooden beds
Giường gỗ cứng
(phrase)
To rehabilitate offenders Cải tạo người
(phrase) phạm luật
Practical skills (phrase) Kỹ năng thực tế
To maintain public safety Duy trì an ninh
(phrase) công cộng

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 136

To break up families Làm tan nát gia

(phrase) đình
Fundamental knowledge Kiến thức căn
(phrase) bản
To cost offenders their Làm mất công
jobs and often their việc và nhà cửa
homes (phrase) của họ

EXERSISE
CHOOSE A WORD FROM THE BOX AND FILL IN THE BLANK.

safety offenders inmates alternatives living conditions

amenities evidence penalty policies incarceration
knowledge punishment imprisonment authorities skills

1. Let’s understand the advantages of _________________________ for the society.

2. One of the main purposes of prison is to punish criminals and maintain public -
________________________.
3. Therefore, __________________________________should be as uncomfortable for the
prisoners as possible, with hard wooden beds, monotonous food and few activities
to relieve the boredom, which make prisoners to detest being sent there.
4. Prison is a good method to rehabilitate ________________________.
5. By equipping them with practical _________________and fundamental
________________________ such as computer programming, mechanical maintenance
or graphic design, vocational training helps _________________________ to reintegrate
into life outside of prison.
6. There is growing ________________________ that poverty correlate with higher crime
rate.
7. The cost of the __________________________ system requires salaries for policemen and
administration staff who maintain basic _______________________for inmates, which
further adds to the current national budget deficits.
8. Another highly controversial issue is the implementation of the death
__________________________or capital ________________________.
9. There are ___________________________to this unethical punishment.

Written by Vu Hai Ryan

https://www.ryanielts.com/