Band 9 model answer
Faced with limited budgets, governments must decide whether to invest in preventing crime or in punishing those who commit it. Although punishment remains necessary, I believe that prioritising prevention yields greater long-term benefits.
The argument for directing funds towards punishment rests on the need for justice and order. A well-resourced system of courts and prisons ensures that wrongdoers face consequences, which both satisfies victims and deters potential offenders. Spending on policing and the judiciary is therefore essential; without credible enforcement, laws would carry little weight and society would descend into disorder.
However, the case for prevention is, to my mind, more compelling. Crime rarely arises in a vacuum; it is closely linked to poverty, unemployment, addiction and poor education. By investing in these areas, governments can reduce the number of people who turn to crime in the first place, sparing countless potential victims and ultimately saving the enormous expense of imprisonment. Money channelled into youth programmes, drug rehabilitation and job creation addresses the disease rather than merely its symptoms, producing safer communities that endure.
That said, the two approaches need not compete. A measure of punishment will always be required for those who break the law regardless of their circumstances, so the ideal policy funds prevention generously while maintaining a fair and functioning justice system.
In conclusion, while punishing offenders is indispensable for upholding order, tackling the social roots of crime offers a more durable and humane solution. Governments seeking lasting safety should therefore weight their spending towards prevention.
Examiner’s notes
- Covers both spending priorities thoroughly and justifies the preference for prevention with cause-and-effect reasoning.
- The metaphor of treating the disease rather than the symptoms conveys the argument memorably and economically.
- Maintains a formal, cohesive academic tone throughout, with varied sentence structures and accurate linking.