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 using reformed criminals to educate teenagers about crime
would be much less effective. One option would be for police officers to visit schools
and talk to young people. This could 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 theirstudents about crime, but Idoubt that students would see teachers as
credible sources of information 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 to deter teenagers from committing
crimes.