Let them run free

Locking up children and young people for non-violent offences is costing the British taxpayer millions, while doing little to reduce the amount of crime, a new report has found.

Punishing Costs, published by the New Economics Foundation (nef) – the London-based think-tank responsible for the recent promotion of a 21-hour working week – has found that putting children behind bars is counter productive and ends up costing society astonishing amounts over time.

The report, released on March 1, highlights flaws in the British system, which imprisons a record amount of under 18s compared to its European neighbours.

Yet, the expenditure of accommodating someone in a Young Offender Institution amounts to 100,000 pounds a year.

Although shocking, this cost looks minimal over time. Children that have gone through prison are more likely to encounter a life of unemployment, poverty and instability, with increased likelihood of repeat offenses, it found.

The solution? Reduce the amount of young people locked up and invest in better schemes which could help break the vicious cycle.

To read the full report, click here.