#15. Are the ex-prisoners the best people to talk to teenagers about the dangers of committing crime
Description
It is true that ex-prisoners can become normal, productive members of society. I completely agree with the idea that allowing such people to speak to teenagers about their experiences is the best way to discourage them from
breaking the law
In my opinion, teenagers are more likely to accept advice from someone who can speak from experience. Reformed offenders can tell young people about how they became involved in crime, the
dangers of a criminal lifestyle, and what life in prison is really like. They can also dispel any ideas
That teenagers may have about criminals leading glamorous
Lives. While adolescents are often
indifferent to the guidance given by
older people, I imagine that most of
them would be extremely keen to hear the stories of an eⅹ- offender. The vivid and perhaps shocking nature of these stories is likely to have a powerful impact. The alternatives to use reformed criminals to educate teenagers about crime would be much less effective. One option would be for police officers to visit school and talk to teenagers . This would be useful in terms of informing teens about what happens to lawbreakers when they are caught, but young people are often reluctant to take advice from figures of authority. a second option would be for school teachers to speak to their students about the crime, but I doubt that teenagers would see teachers as credible sources about this topic. Finally, educational films might be informative but there would be no opportunity for young people to
Interact and ask questions
In conclusion, I fully support the view that people who have turned their lives around after serving a prison sentence could help deter teenagers from committing crimes