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Press Release

Support our vision for early intervention

22 April 2010

Chance UK launches its manifesto

Chance UK's Manifesto

The UK spends 11 times more on locking up children than it spends on preventing them going to prison in the first place. Our prison population is by far the highest in Europe, and we're building even more prisons to accommodate this ever expanding number.

Chance UK's calls on the next UK government to:

1. Prioritise early intervention schemes

80% of crime is caused by adults who displayed behavioural difficulties as children*. It is therefore vital to intervene early with children at risk. Schemes like Chance UK can cost as little as £4,000 per child per year, whereas each adult offender can cost the taxpayer up to £200,000 a year - to say nothing of the emotional impact they have on their families and victims. Early intervention schemes are more effective and cheaper than punitive ones. Therefore we call on serious funding to back them.

2. Keep children in school

49% of the prison population were excluded from school as children**, compared with less than 1% of the current school population. Children who are excluded from school are more likely to be involved in criminal and anti-social behaviour, since they are more likely to socialise with older children already engaging in these activities. If children who are too difficult to manage in a classroom are sent home, they may actively try to be excluded, so instead they should kept on the school premises in a room separate to the classroom.

3. Give children somewhere to go

No matter where they live or how old they are, all children need a safe place to socialise and use their energy in positive ways. Every city, town and village in the country should have youth centres and play areas that allow children to have fun and enjoy healthy emotional wellbeing. This will lead to higher self esteem, which in turn is the cornerstone of educational achievement and cohesive communities.

*"A Chance for Change", Sainsbury's Centre for Mental Health, 2009

**'Family Ties and Recidivism', Home Office Research Bulletin 36



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