This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of preventing crime from the real IELTS exam.

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Dave

IELTS Essay: Preventing Crime

Some people believe more actions can be taken to prevent crime, while others think that little can be done.

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Many concerned parties today feel that crime has already been reduced as much as is realistically possible. While I agree this may be true in nations where security is prioritized over privacy rights, there is still tremendous progress that can be made globally.

Those who argue crime no longer needs addressing point to technological innovations. This situation is most apparent in authoritarian nations. Security surveillance can include the use of street cameras, digital tracking, and eavesdropping on private communications. For instance, in South Korea the crime rate in most urban areas is negligible and the average person reports little anxiety about possible criminality, in contrast to periods in the past when there were more instances of robbery, assault, theft, pickpocketing, and so on. These technological shifts have greatly aided law enforcement in prosecuting criminals thereby also increasing the deterrence of potential offences.

However, crime still exists and can be countered by addressing the deeper, societal roots. The main cause of all crime is poverty. When individuals earn a wage sufficient to maintain a decent standard of living, the entire motive for most crimes disappears. The evidence for this is that in wealthy countries where there is a relatively even distribution of wealth, the crime rates are low and the police do not require draconian punishment or surveillance techniques. Beyond income, it is also possible to invest in improving mental health. Many people today spend too much time online and are vulnerable to extremist views. A still significant proportion of crimes could be eliminated by encouraging people to spend more time outdoors in their community.

In conclusion, though technology has reduced certain kinds of criminality greatly, it is still possible to lower crime rates by embracing a holistic, societal approach. The complete eradication of crime is likely impossible and therefore there will always be a need to make progress.

Analysis

1. Many concerned parties today feel that crime has already been reduced as much as is realistically possible. 2. While I agree this may be true in nations where security is prioritized over privacy rights, there is still tremendous progress that can be made globally.

Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those who argue crime no longer needs addressing point to technological innovations. 2. This situation is most apparent in authoritarian nations. 3. Security surveillance can include the use of street cameras, digital tracking, and eavesdropping on private communications. 4. For instance, in South Korea the crime rate in most urban areas is negligible and the average person reports little anxiety about possible criminality, in contrast to periods in the past when there were more instances of robbery, assault, theft, pickpocketing, and so on. 5. These technological shifts have greatly aided law enforcement in prosecuting criminals thereby also increasing the deterrence of potential offences.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
Keep developing it fully.
You might add a counterpoint here.

1. However, crime still exists and can be countered by addressing the deeper, societal roots. 2. The main cause of all crime is poverty. 3. When individuals earn a wage sufficient to maintain a decent standard of living, the entire motive for most crimes disappears. 4. The evidence for this is that in wealthy countries where there is a relatively even distribution of wealth, the crime rates are low and the police do not require draconian punishment or surveillance techniques. 5. Beyond income, it is also possible to invest in improving mental health. 6. Many people today spend too much time online and are vulnerable to extremist views. 7. A still significant proportion of crimes could be eliminated by encouraging people to spend more time outdoors in their community.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
Continue your development.
Vary long and short sentences.
Finish the paragraph strong.

1. In conclusion, though technology has reduced certain kinds of criminality greatly, it is still possible to lower crime rates by embracing a holistic, societal approach. 2. The complete eradication of crime is likely impossible and therefore there will always be a need to make progress.

Summarise your main ideas.
Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many concerned parties today feel that crime has already been reduced as much as is realistically possible. While I agree this may be true in nations where security is prioritized over privacy rights, there is still tremendous progress that can be made globally.

Those who argue crime no longer needs addressing point to technological innovations. This situation is most apparent in authoritarian nations. Security surveillance can include the use of street cameras, digital tracking, and eavesdropping on private communications. For instance, in South Korea the crime rate in most urban areas is negligible and the average person reports little anxiety about possible criminality, in contrast to periods in the past when there were more instances of robbery, assault, theft, pickpocketing, and so on. These technological shifts have greatly aided law enforcement in prosecuting criminals thereby also increasing the deterrence of potential offences.

However, crime still exists and can be countered by addressing the deeper, societal roots. The main cause of all crime is poverty. When individuals earn a wage sufficient to maintain a decent standard of living, the entire motive for most crimes disappears. The evidence for this is that in wealthy countries where there is a relatively even distribution of wealth, the crime rates are low and the police do not require draconian punishment or surveillance techniques. Beyond income, it is also possible to invest in improving mental health. Many people today spend too much time online and are vulnerable to extremist views. A still significant proportion of crimes could be eliminated by encouraging people to spend more time outdoors in their community.

In conclusion, though technology has reduced certain kinds of criminality greatly, it is still possible to lower crime rates by embracing a holistic, societal approach. The complete eradication of crime is likely impossible and therefore there will always be a need to make progress.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

Many concerned parties today feel that lots of people think

reduced as much as is realistically possible get it down as low as it can go

this may be true in nations where security is prioritized over privacy rights is the case in countries that care more about being safe than about freedom

still tremendous progress that can be made globally lots that can still be done around the world

crime no longer needs addressing point to technological innovations offenses don’t need to be tackled any more because of new inventions

apparent in authoritarian nations clear in non-Democratic countries

Security surveillance watching people

street cameras CCTV on roads

digital tracking following people on online

eavesdropping on private communications listening in on people

crime rate in most urban areas offenses in cities

negligible not that impactful, minor

reports little anxiety about possible criminality not worried about crime

in contrast to periods in the past when in comparison to earlier times

robbery stealing

assault hurting

theft stealing

pickpocketing taking from people

and so on etc.

technological shifts new inventions, innovations

greatly aided law enforcement in prosecuting criminals really helps police catch offenders

deterrence discouragement

potential offences possible crimes

exists are real

countered by addressing the deeper fixed by dealing with the source/original

societal roots deeper causes

cause reason for

poverty not rich

earn a wage sufficient to maintain a decent standard of living make enough money to live well

entire motive for most crimes disappears reason for the majority of offenses goes away

The evidence for this is that in wealthy countries the support is that in rich nations

relatively even distribution of wealth comparatively equal earnings

low not high

require draconian punishment or surveillance techniques need old fashioned

Beyond income more than just what you earn

invest in improving mental health put money into making sure people are healthy

vulnerable weak

extremist views controversial opinions

still significant proportion still a lot of

eliminated gotten rid of

encouraging motivating

outdoors in their community outside in their neighborhood

greatly tremendously

embracing starting to do

holistic overall, combining everything

societal approach way of addressing all people

The complete eradication of crime getting rid of crime 100%

impossible can’t happen

a need to make progress have to continue advancing

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈmɛni kənˈsɜːnd ˈpɑːtiz təˈdeɪ fiːl ðæt
rɪˈdjuːst æz mʌʧ æz ɪz rɪəˈlɪstɪk(ə)li ˈpɒsəbl
ðɪs meɪ biː truː ɪn ˈneɪʃənz weə sɪˈkjʊərɪti ɪz praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪzd ˈəʊvə ˈprɪvəsi raɪts
stɪl trɪˈmɛndəs ˈprəʊgrəs ðæt kæn biː meɪd ˈgləʊbəli
kraɪm nəʊ ˈlɒŋgə niːdz əˈdrɛsɪŋ pɔɪnt tuː ˌtɛknəˈlɒʤɪk(ə)l ˌɪnəʊˈveɪʃənz
əˈpærənt ɪn ɔːˌθɒrɪˈteərɪən ˈneɪʃənz
sɪˈkjʊərɪti sɜːˈveɪləns
striːt ˈkæmərəz
ˈdɪʤɪtl ˈtrækɪŋ
ˈiːvzdrɒpɪŋ ɒn ˈpraɪvɪt kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃənz
kraɪm reɪt ɪn məʊst ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪəz
ˈnɛglɪʤəbl
rɪˈpɔːts ˈlɪtl æŋˈzaɪəti əˈbaʊt ˈpɒsəbl ˌkrɪmɪˈnælɪti
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst tuː ˈpɪərɪədz ɪn ðə pɑːst wɛn
ˈrɒbəri
əˈsɔːlt
θɛft
ˈpɪkˌpɒkɪtɪŋ
ænd səʊ ɒn
ˌtɛknəˈlɒʤɪk(ə)l ʃɪfts
ˈgreɪtli ˈeɪdɪd lɔː ɪnˈfɔːsmənt ɪn ˈprɒsɪkjuːtɪŋ ˈkrɪmɪnlz
dɪˈtɛrəns
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl əˈfɛnsɪz
ɪgˈzɪsts
ˈkaʊntəd baɪ əˈdrɛsɪŋ ðə ˈdiːpə
səˈsaɪətl ruːts
kɔːz
ˈpɒvəti
ɜːn ə weɪʤ səˈfɪʃənt tuː meɪnˈteɪn ə ˈdiːsnt ˈstændəd ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ
ɪnˈtaɪə ˈməʊtɪv fɔː məʊst kraɪmz ˌdɪsəˈpɪəz
ði ˈɛvɪdəns fɔː ðɪs ɪz ðæt ɪn ˈwɛlθi ˈkʌntriz
ˈrɛlətɪvli ˈiːvən ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃən ɒv wɛlθ
ləʊ
rɪˈkwaɪə dreɪˈkəʊnjən ˈpʌnɪʃmənt ɔː sɜːˈveɪləns tɛkˈniːks
bɪˈjɒnd ˈɪnkʌm
ɪnˈvɛst ɪn ɪmˈpruːvɪŋ ˈmɛntl hɛlθ
ˈvʌlnərəbl
ɪksˈtriːmɪst vjuːz
stɪl sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt prəˈpɔːʃən
ɪˈlɪmɪneɪtɪd
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪŋ
ˌaʊtˈdɔːz ɪn ðeə kəˈmjuːnɪti
ˈgreɪtli
ɪmˈbreɪsɪŋ
həˈlɪstɪk
səˈsaɪətl əˈprəʊʧ
ðə kəmˈpliːt ɪˌrædɪˈkeɪʃən ɒv kraɪm
ɪmˈpɒsəbl
ə niːd tuː meɪk ˈprəʊgrəs

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

M____________________________________t crime has already been r_______________________________________e. While I agree t___________________________________________________________________s, there is s_______________________________________________________y.

Those who argue c_____________________________________________________________________s. This situation is most a_____________________________________________s. S_______________________e can include the use of s_________________s, d_____________________g, and e_____________________________________s. For instance, in South Korea the c____________________________________s is n________________e and the average person r________________________________________________y, i_______________________________n there were more instances of r__________y, a_________t, t_______t, p_____________________g, a____________n. These t__________________s have g________________________________________________s thereby also increasing the d_______________e of p________________s.

However, crime still e_________s and can be c__________________________________________________s. The main c________e of all crime is p_________y. When individuals e________________________________________________________g, the e__________________________________________________s. T_______________________________________s where there is a r_________________________________________________h, the crime rates are l___w and the police do not r______________________________________________________s. B________________e, it is also possible to i__________________________________h. Many people today spend too much time online and are v______________e to e___________________s. A s_____________________n of crimes could be e________________d by e______________g people to spend more time o___________________________y.

In conclusion, though technology has reduced certain kinds of criminality g_________y, it is still possible to lower crime rates by e_____________g a h______________________________h. T_____________________________e is likely i______________e and therefore there will always be a______________________________s.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/262963/ranking-the-20-countries-with-the-most-murders-per-100-000-inhabitants/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Police

Is your country generally safe?
What responsibilities do the police usually have?
How do you think policing will change in the future?
Do cameras violate a person’s privacy?
What problems do people have with the police in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Crime rates will fall as advances in technology make it easier to detect and prevent crimes.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Crime Rates and Technological Prevention