IELTS Sample Essay - Crime and Punishment

IELTS Sample Essay - Crime and PunishmentOne of the most popular IELTS exams of recent years has been the one in reference to Crime and Punishment, a section which is not only challenging but interesting as well. This is certainly not a piece of academic writing intended to measure the difficulty of one's IELTS English language test performance; it's merely an attempt to present some perspective on the subject matter in order to encourage an appreciation for the point of this difficult subject.It should be understood that this essay, while written with the IELTS Sample Essay in Crime and Punishment in mind, is only meant to provide some background information on the test. It does not serve as an assessment of the reading material. The essay is merely a general overview of the material contained in the test and will not appear on the final exam.It was originally written by an international student who attended a leading British university. Since then, it has been passed along to many students through various outlets and has become an important part of an overall IELTS study guide. It is offered online for free download and is published under the Creative Commons license.The central focus of the reading sample is the examination of the various ideas regarding the punishment of criminals. Some points to consider are the role of trial and the media, the nature of crime, and the contemporary decision-making process for law enforcement.The primary element of this sample essay is the concept of 'crime.' The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as 'a criminal act,' 'an unlawful action,' or 'action in violation of the law.' Although the dictionary definition uses those words, the idea is the same. In other words, a crime is something that someone does not like.While the idea of crimes in the general sense is a well-known one, the term 'criminal acts' can be very problematic, particularly since most people take it to mean committing a criminal act. The essay, however, de monstrates that 'criminal acts' does not always indicate an illegal action. A criminal act may be nothing more than an illegal act performed without the necessary intent to harm. As the essay states, 'the law is no code, but a multitude of rules and customs interpreted by judges, juries, law-enforcement officers, and prosecutors.'As with the definition, the concept of 'criminal' is equally open to interpretation, and the essay is often quite vague in its application of the term. The idea is that there are three major elements of criminal acts: intent, offense, and punishment. If you look at it that way, it makes sense that a person who did not know the identity of his victim may be convicted of manslaughter instead of murder.There is also some evidence that suggests the distinction between violent crimes and nonviolent crimes is similar to the distinction between works of art and literature: The former may be deserving of greater attention and treatment than the latter. Likewise, a crime that has an ethical nature such as manslaughter, theft, or treason may be treated as art as well.