Crime & LawDiscuss Both ViewsIntermediateMedium Frequency

IELTS Essay: Some people believe that children that commit crimes should be punished. Othe...

Prompt

Some people believe that children that commit crimes should be punished. Others think the parents should be punished instead. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

#juvenile_justice#parental_responsibility#accountability#child_development#punishment_philosophy

Ready?

Write this essay in 40 minutes

Start

✨

Band 7 → 9 — Band 7 acknowledges both views fairly; Band 9 argues that juvenile systems should prioritize rehabilitation and parental accountability for prevention, while child accountability depends on developmental capacity.

PRO

Essay #205 — part of the Pro library

The first 30 Task 2 essays are free. Upgrade to Pro to read this one plus the full Pro essay library.

Upgrade

Key concepts in this essay

Developmental stage and moral culpability in law
Parental duty to supervise vs. practical limits on control (especially teenagers)
Punishment vs. rehabilitation as different objectives in juvenile justice
Role of peer influence and external circumstances beyond parental control
Societal investment in youth reform vs. blame assignment

Pitfalls the model essay avoids

Failing to distinguish between age groups (young children vs. teenagers) with different developmental capacities for understanding consequences
Oversimplifying parental culpability without acknowledging cases where even attentive parents face defiant or influenced adolescents
Not exploring whether punishment is rehabilitative, deterrent, or retributive—and how that shapes the child vs. parent focus

Next in Crime & Law

See all →