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Why do people commit crimes?
Oh, that's a tough question. I think the reasons vary, but I'd say the number one reason is poverty.
When you need something, whether it's food or clothes or something else and you don't have the money to buy it, it makes theft and robbing far more tempting. I think another reason is outside influences, whether from media, like movies, or even from one's peers. Young people especially are impressionable, so the more they hear and see crimes being committed, it is bound to have an influence on their minds.
For example, I've heard about teenagers getting involved in small crimes, like bullying or shoplifting because their friends are doing it. They might want to fit in, or they see something cool online, like pranks that cross into illegal territory, and don't realize how serious it is.
So, all in all, I think crime rarely has a single cause, perhaps another is even that it, the cause, is hardwired or socialized, but I think generally, it's a mix of influences, pressure, and poor judgment.
How can criminals be rehabilitated?
I'm really not sure about this. I guess for younger offenders, rehabilitating them might include building the skills and mindset necessary to operate in society, but the older a criminal is, it probably means they have been committing crime for a long time, but were never caught, so by the time they are, it might be too late to change their thinking.
For non-violent crimes though, I think the main focus should be on addressing why they committed the crime in the first place, whether that's a lack of education, no job skills, or even emotional issues. If you can't fix the root causes, then they are more likely to go back to crime.
So, as far as I'm concerned, I think poverty is one of the main causes of crime. Before there used to be a huge problem of stealing and pickpocketing and that type of thing, but now, with society becoming more well-off and people having more money, crime has been greatly reduced.
So, while rehab isn't easy, I think it can work when it's focused on "helping, not just punishing." It's about giving people the tools to make better choices.
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What is the purpose of punishment?
I think punishment has a few key purposes. It's not just to "punish" someone for what they did, but also to protect others and stop future crime. It's more about fairness and prevention than just being revengeful.
First, it's about justice for the person who was harmed. If someone steals or hurts another person, punishment shows that their actions have consequences. Second, it protects society: putting a dangerous criminal behind bars keeps them from hurting more people. And third, it's a warning, both to the criminal so they don't do it again if they get released and to others so they think twice before breaking the law.
For example, if someone is punished for assault, it sends a message to everyone that hurting others isn't okay, and that if you do it, you'll face consequences.
So punishment isn't just about "getting even". It's about keeping people safe, teaching a lesson, and making sure everyone understands that breaking the rules has consequences.
Are punishment and revenge the same?
No, they're definitely not the same: punishment is about fairness and rules, while revenge is more about anger or getting even for something that hurt you. The key difference is who's in control and what the goal is.
Punishment is usually carried out by the law and follows clear rules, and it's not random, and the goal is to protect society or rehabilitate the criminal. Revenge, though, is personal: someone acts out of anger, and they might not care about rules or who else gets hurt.
If someone steals your phone, for example, and the police catch them, the punishment might be prison. That's not revenge; it's the law making sure the thief faces consequences, and maybe learns not to steal again. But if you saw the thief and decided to "get back" at them, that's revenge, which is an emotional way of behaving.
So the big difference is that punishment is about order and fairness, while revenge is about personal anger. That's why we have laws to handle crime, instead of letting people take matters into their own hands.
由于字数限制，这次没办法放重点词汇的中英对照，如需查看，请点击：英语考试Cat公众号。
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