IELTS Writing Task 2 with sample answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write at least 250 words.
Young people committing crimes should be treated the same as adults by the authorities
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Answer:
The debate as to whether young people who commit crimes should be treated in the same manner as adults has been a long-standing one. While some argue that young offenders should be given more lenient punishments, others believe that they should be held accountable in the same way. This essay will argue that young people should be treated the same as adults by the authorities when they commit crimes.
On the one hand, young people who commit crimes should be treated the same as adults by the authorities because they are aware of the consequences. Young people have access to the same information as adults and are thus aware of the legal repercussions of their actions. Furthermore, in most countries, the age of criminal responsibility is set at a certain age, usually around the age of 16, meaning that these young people are considered to be legally accountable for their actions. Therefore, it can be argued that they should be held to the same standards of accountability as adults.
On the other hand, it can be argued that young people should be given more lenient punishments for their crimes because they are still developing and may not fully understand the consequences of their actions. Furthermore, it could be argued that young people can be more easily rehabilitated than adults and therefore should be given the opportunity to do so. This would mean that instead of being given a prison sentence, they could be given community service or other forms of punishment that would be more effective in helping them learn from their mistakes.
In conclusion, while it can be argued that young people should be given more lenient punishments due to their still-developing brains, it is also important to remember that they are legally accountable for their actions and should thus be treated the same as adults by the authorities. Ultimately, it is up to the authorities to decide how to best handle such cases, but it should be done in a way that holds young offenders accountable for their actions and also allows them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.