Some people think that technological development decreases crime in society while others believe it actually encourages crime. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Undoubtedly,No doubt technological progress has profoundly shaped modern society, but itstheir impact on crime remains a subject of considerable debate. While some argue that technological advancement has significantly reduced crimereduced criminal activities through surveillance and law enforcement tools, others contend that it has, paradoxically, enabled more sophisticated forms of crimefacilitated more sophisticated crimes. This essay will discuss both perspectives before asserting that technological development, despite its benefits, has ultimately encouraged crime.
On the one hand, proponents of technology-based securityproponents of technology argue that it acts as a powerful deterrent to crime. Advanced surveillance systems, such as CCTV cameras, facial recognition, and biometric authentication, have made it increasingly difficult for criminals to operate undetected. Additionally, digital forensic tools enable law enforcement agencies to track cyber criminals, decode encrypted messages, and prevent potential attacks. For instance, police forces worldwide have successfully used artificial intelligence and data analytics to predict criminal behaviour and prevent offencespredict and prevent criminal behaviour, significantly lowering crime rates in some urban areas.
On the other hand,However, others argue that technology has inadvertently enabled criminals to commit more complex offences while remaining more anonymouscomplex offences with greater anonymity. The rise of cybercrime, including hacking, identity theft, and financial fraud, demonstrates how technology can be exploited for illicit purposes. For example, sophisticated ransomware attacks have targeted major corporations and government institutions, causing severe economic and security disruptions. Furthermore, encrypted messaging applications and the dark web provide criminals with secure platforms to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and human exploitation, making detection and prosecution significantly more challenging.
In my view, while technology has enhanced security measures, it has also empowered criminals with new tools to evade detection and commitexecute more sophisticated crimes. The increasing reliance on digital platforms, alongside cybersecurity vulnerabilitiescoupled with vulnerabilities in cybersecurity, suggests that technological advancement has ultimately encouraged crime rather than eliminated itcriminal activities rather than eliminated them.
Why this response received Band 8.5
The response discusses both perspectives directly, sustains a clear opinion, and supports each side with specific, well-integrated examples from surveillance, digital forensics, ransomware, and encrypted platforms. Its main limitation is that the concluding judgement could compare the relative scale of prevention and technology-enabled crime more explicitly. Strengthen the argument by adding one concise sentence explaining why the expansion and anonymity of cybercrime outweigh technology’s deterrent benefits.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are thoroughly addressed with relevant support, and a clear opinion is maintained from the introduction through the conclusion.
Make the final comparative judgement even sharper by explaining why the crime-enabling effects carry greater weight than the preventive effects.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically sequenced, well paragraphed, and smoothly connected, with each paragraph maintaining a clear central purpose.
Use the conclusion to synthesise the two sides more explicitly rather than mainly restating the preferred position.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is broad, precise, and natural across security, law enforcement, and cybercrime, with sophisticated terms used accurately.
Maintain this precision while avoiding slight repetition of sophisticated crimes and technological advancement in the closing paragraph.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide variety of complex structures is handled accurately and flexibly, with only a rare agreement lapse that does not affect communication.
Check pronoun agreement in references such as technological progress and its impact to achieve consistently flawless control.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that technological development decreases crime in society while others believe it actually encourages crime. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.