Report urges government to spend more on preschool crime prevention

The UK Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health has cited strong cost-benefit evidence to urge government to invest in prevention and early interventions strategies.

According to the Centre's publication The Chance of a Lifetime: Preventing early conduct problems and reducing crime children with conduct problems go on to commit four-fifths of all crime in later life and that much of it might be prevented by universal preschool provision. Action to prevent conduct problems in young children can dramatically reduce their chances of offending later in life, with enormous cost advantage to themselves, the care and youth justice systems and society.

According to the report's authors, just 1% of the annual law and order budget could fund a comprehensive program of preschool support for 30% of all children born in the UK each year. "The cost of crime related to conduct problems is some £60bn ($100bn) a year. Yet conduct problems can be prevented by effective action. Preschool parenting support for families at risk is especially good value for money. One US scheme has been shown to reduce the costs of crime by $11 for every $1 invested in it.

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