Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Should prisons be abolished?
Position‹2 of 3›
No, prisons should not be abolished
Argument1 of 2›

Prisons do work

Prisons separate criminals from the rest of the population to ensure the safety of innocent people.

The argument

The best way to protect the biggest majority of a population is with prisons. Many violent criminals will always continue to break the law, even with rehabilitation programs installed within the system. The main goal of prisons is to protect the public from danger and to punish offenders for violating the law. By separating criminals from the rest of the population, people are able to go about their lives without fearing criminals. Prisons work to allow society to function normally and safely. Therefore, prisons should remain open and functioning due to their ability to keep the public safe.

Premises

[P1]Many violent criminals continue to break the law even with rehabilitation programs in place. [P2] By separating these offenders from the public, prisons let people go about their lives without fear of them. [P3] In keeping the public safe, prisons allow society to function normally and safely. [C] Therefore, because prisons do work to protect the public, prisons should not be abolished.

Counter-arguments

Instead of simply locking away criminals to punish them for their crimes, prison systems should work to develop rehabilitation programs to help prepare offenders to be a law-abiding member of society once released. Many people in prison suffer from mental health issues, drug addiction, and alcoholism. Once released, many people commit another crime within a short amount of time, landing them back in prison. Prisons should work to improve the lives of their prisoners so they do not re-offend and repeat the circle of crime.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P3] Prisons should work to improve the lives and behavior of their inmates.