Help with my epq about prisons!!

Nahid200040

Whoever sees this, firstly, hello. I am currently doing an EPQ and I believe it's the AQA spec. I need help planning my essay. I am writing about how cost effective prisons are and if they are an appropriate way to discipline criminals in the UK. I have a few ideas on what to talk about but I'd appreciate any suggestions! My current things to look at are the costs of imprisonment, how many people are in prisons, re offender rates, etc (all the stats and figures). Secondly, using articles recently published online look at problems within prisons (e.g. riots, deaths). Thirdly, talk about rehabilitation within prison, i.e. help prisoners get some work skills like cooking so they're ready to find jobs maybe. Finally, should we really imprison everyone that commits a crime. There are many young offenders who make a wrong decision and end up coming out actual prisons or maybe we imprison someone like a financial fraudster which probably won't stop them taking part in illegal activities outside of prison and when they leave. Any help will be appreciated!

Reply 1

alleycat393

You seem to have a lot of good ideas and already have a plan in place. My only concern would be whether you have too much? Have you talked to a teacher about this? Make sure your essay flows from one thing to the next and that you give enough space to each idea even if it means losing some ideas.

Reply 2

returnmigrant

As above, this isnt a PhD so you need to have one very small and totally answerable question not attempt to write a book on 'everything about prisons'.

Take one very simple idea - either a philosophical question like 'Reform or Punishment, what is the purpose of imprisonment', or a practical 'finding out' question like 'What education/retraining is available within the prison sector' etc, and just do that.

The purpose of an EPQ is to show that you can work independently, and can write a structured essay. Nothing more.