Crime and punishment is a regular topic in IELTS Writing Task 2. Questions ask why people commit crimes, whether prison works, how to deal with young offenders and how technology changes crime and policing. You do not need legal knowledge: clear reasons and everyday examples are enough.
On this page you will find 18 crime and punishment essay questions grouped by essay type, two band 7+ model essays with notes on the language they use, ideas for both sides of common arguments and useful crime vocabulary.
IELTS Writing Task 2 crime questions
All questions below are written for practice in the style of the real test. Click the essay type to see how to structure that kind of essay.
Opinion (agree or disagree)
- OpinionThe best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- OpinionPolice officers should not carry guns. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- OpinionPeople who commit crimes should be named publicly in newspapers and online. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- OpinionPrisoners should be given the chance to study and learn a trade while they are in prison. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Discussion (both views)
- DiscussionSome people think criminals should do unpaid work in the community instead of going to prison, while others think prison is the only fair punishment. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
- DiscussionSome people believe that crime is mainly caused by poverty, while others think it is a matter of personal choice. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
- DiscussionSome people believe the police should focus on serious crime, while others think dealing with minor offences, such as graffiti and shoplifting, is just as important. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
- DiscussionSome people think young offenders should be punished in the same way as adults, while others believe they need a different approach. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Problem and solution
- Problem & solutionCrime committed by teenagers is rising in many cities. What are the causes, and what can be done to prevent it?
- Problem & solutionMany people who leave prison commit another crime within a few years. Why is this, and what can be done to help them start a new life?
- Problem & solutionIn some areas, people no longer feel safe walking in the streets at night. What are the reasons, and how can the situation be improved?
Advantages and disadvantages
- Advantages & disadvantagesIn many cities, security cameras now watch streets, shops and public transport. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
- Advantages & disadvantagesSome police forces are using face recognition software to identify suspects in crowds. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
- Advantages & disadvantagesIn some countries, minor offenders wear an electronic tag at home instead of going to prison. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Two-part questions
- Two-part questionOnline fraud is becoming more common. Who is most at risk, and how can people protect themselves?
- Two-part questionMany films and video games show violent crime. Does this influence the behaviour of young people? What, if anything, should be done about it?
- Two-part questionWhat is the main purpose of punishment: to protect society, to punish the offender or to change their behaviour? Which approach works best?
- Two-part questionWhy do some people buy goods they know are stolen or fake? How can this be discouraged?
Model essay 1: opinion essay on longer prison sentences
Writing Task 2 Academic & General Training 40 minutes
Write about the following topic:
The best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Many people believe that if criminals spent more time in prison, there would be less crime. Although longer sentences may be justified for the most dangerous offenders, I disagree that they are the best way to reduce crime overall.
It is true that prison protects the public, at least for a time. A burglar or violent offender who is behind bars cannot harm anyone outside, and the threat of a long sentence may discourage some people from committing serious crimes. For crimes such as murder or organised drug dealing, long sentences also reflect how seriously society views these offences.
However, there is little evidence that longer sentences reduce crime in the long term. Most people who commit crimes do not expect to be caught, so the length of a possible sentence hardly affects their decision. Moreover, prisons often make the problem worse. Inmates may lose their jobs and family support, learn new criminal skills from others, and find it extremely difficult to get work when they are released. As a result, many of them reoffend. Money spent on keeping people in prison for longer would arguably achieve more if it were used for education, drug treatment programmes and more police officers on the streets, since a high chance of being caught deters crime far more than a long sentence.
In conclusion, while long prison sentences are appropriate for the most serious and dangerous criminals, they are not the most effective way to reduce crime. Prevention, rehabilitation and effective policing are likely to produce better results.
Why this essay works
The writer disagrees, but accepts that longer sentences make sense for the most dangerous offenders. This partial concession, given its own paragraph, makes the main argument stronger. Notice the language:
| What the writer does | Example from the essay | Why it raises the score |
|---|---|---|
| A clear position with a concession | Although longer sentences may be justified for the most dangerous offenders, I disagree that they are the best way to reduce crime overall. | Task Response: the examiner sees exactly how far the writer disagrees. |
| Second conditional | if criminals spent more time in prison, there would be less crime | Presents the opposing view as a hypothesis: Grammatical Range. |
| It is true that … However, … | It is true that prison protects the public … However, there is little evidence … | Coherence and Cohesion: a classic way to admit a point before arguing against it. |
| Passive infinitive | Most people who commit crimes do not expect to be caught | A natural passive structure that many candidates avoid. |
| Hedging | would arguably achieve more if it were used for education | Arguably and likely to make claims sound careful and academic. |
| Cause and result linkers | As a result, many of them reoffend. | Shows the logical chain of the argument. |
| Topic vocabulary | behind bars, reoffend, rehabilitation, deter crime, organised drug dealing | Lexical Resource: precise crime vocabulary. |
See the agree or disagree essay guide for the full structure.
Model essay 2: problem and solution essay on teenage crime
Writing Task 2 Academic & General Training 40 minutes
Write about the following topic:
Crime committed by teenagers is rising in many cities.
What are the causes, and what can be done to prevent it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
In a number of cities, police report that more crimes such as theft, vandalism and street violence are being committed by teenagers. This essay will look at the main reasons for this trend and suggest how it could be prevented.
One major cause is a lack of supervision and support at home. When parents work long hours or the family is going through difficulties, some teenagers spend most of their free time on the streets, where they can easily be drawn into trouble by older friends. Another cause is boredom and a lack of opportunities. In areas where youth clubs and sports facilities have closed and jobs for young people are scarce, crime can seem exciting or even profitable. Finally, social media sometimes plays a role, as videos of fights or thefts can bring attention and status among peers.
Several steps could be taken to tackle this problem. Firstly, local authorities should invest in free activities for young people, such as sports clubs, music studios and youth centres, which give them a safe place to spend their evenings. Secondly, schools could work more closely with families and social workers to identify teenagers who are at risk and offer them mentoring before they get into serious trouble. Lastly, young people who commit minor offences could be given community work rather than a criminal record, so that one mistake does not ruin their future.
In conclusion, teenage crime is mainly the result of weak support, boredom and peer pressure. By giving young people something positive to do and someone to turn to, communities can prevent many of them from turning to crime.
Why this essay works
Three causes are explained in one paragraph and three matching solutions in the next, so the essay is easy to follow. Look at the grammar and vocabulary:
| What the writer does | Example from the essay | Why it raises the score |
|---|---|---|
| Present continuous passive | more crimes … are being committed by teenagers | Describes a current trend: a structure that shows good control of tenses. |
| Time and condition clauses | When parents work long hours or the family is going through difficulties, … | Complex sentences that explain a cause: Grammatical Range. |
| Where as a relative word | In areas where youth clubs and sports facilities have closed … | Adds detail about a place without a new sentence. |
| Phrasal verbs in formal writing | be drawn into trouble, get into serious trouble, turn to crime | Lexical Resource: natural, accurate phrasal verbs. |
| So that for purpose | so that one mistake does not ruin their future | Explains why the solution matters. |
| By + -ing | By giving young people something positive to do … | A neat way to show how a result is achieved. |
| Sequencing | One major cause … Another cause … Finally … / Firstly … Secondly … Lastly … | Coherence and Cohesion: each point is clearly separated. |
Learn more in the problem and solution essay guide.
Ideas for common crime arguments
Not sure what to write? These ideas cover the arguments that crime questions often ask about. Choose two or three for each side and add an example of your own.
| Argument | For | Against |
|---|---|---|
| Prison | protects the public, clear punishment, may deter serious crime | expensive, high reoffending, prisoners learn from other criminals, families suffer |
| Community service | cheaper, offenders repay society, keep their job and family | may seem too soft, not suitable for violent crime, needs supervision |
| Security cameras | help solve crimes, may deter offenders, make people feel safer | loss of privacy, crime moves to other areas, data can be misused |
| Causes of crime | poverty, unemployment, drugs and alcohol, family problems | personal choice and greed, many poor people never commit crimes |
| Young offenders | education and mentoring work better, they can still change | victims deserve justice, serious crimes need serious punishment |
Useful crime vocabulary for Task 2
Use precise words and collocations instead of repeating “crime”, “criminal” and “prison”. For more, see our IELTS writing vocabulary page.
| Area | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| People | an offender, a young offender, a repeat offender, a victim, a suspect, an inmate |
| Crimes | to commit a crime, petty crime, violent crime, theft, burglary, vandalism, online fraud |
| Punishment | a prison sentence, a fine, community service, to be sentenced to, a criminal record |
| Prevention | to deter, a deterrent, crime prevention, to patrol the streets, to tackle crime |
| After prison | rehabilitation, to reoffend, the reoffending rate, to reintegrate into society |
| Causes | peer pressure, social inequality, unemployment, substance abuse, a lack of parental supervision |
More Writing Task 2 topics
Practise with crime questions until you can plan an essay in 5 minutes, then move on to other topics. Our list of IELTS Writing Task 2 topics and questions has 84 practice questions on 14 topics. You will also find model essays for education, technology and environment questions.
IELTS Writing Task 2 crime: FAQ
Quick answers to the questions people ask most.
How often does crime come up in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Crime and punishment is a regular Task 2 theme, though less frequent than education, technology or the environment. It is worth preparing a few ideas about prison, young offenders and crime prevention.
Do I need to know about the law in my country?
No. The examiner checks your English and your reasoning, not legal facts. General examples, such as a young person who reoffends after prison, are enough.
Can I support harsh punishments in my essay?
Yes. You can take any position, as long as it is clear and supported with reasons and examples. Examiners do not mark your opinion, only how well you present it.
What is the difference between “crime” and “offence”?
They are often used in the same way, but “offence” is more formal and often used for less serious acts, such as a traffic offence. Using both helps you avoid repetition.