An old proverb states, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The threat of a prison sentence is no longer an effective deterrent against crime. In 2001 the United States spent 167 billion dollars on its criminal justice system (Justice 5). This includes law enforcement officers, public defenders, judges, and correction facilities. This money could be put to far better use in the hands of our educational system. The United States should address its problems with crime by educating its impoverished population not by punishing criminals after the crime that has been committed.
Prison inmates, are some of the most maladjusted people in society. Most of the inmates have had too little discipline or come from broken homes and have no self-esteem (Venkatesh 112). They are very insecure and are at war with themselves as well as with society (Venkatesh 114). Most inmates did not learn moral values or learn to follow everyday norms. We could give them a chance to......

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Title: Education; Not Punishment
Approximate Word Count: 1017
Approximate Pages: 5 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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