I have worked with youth within deprived areas since 1999, working within schools, youth clubs, and government-funded provisions.

After a considerable amount of years spent mentoring/coaching, I started to notice high numbers of children I had mentored and coached were becoming involved in crime by the time they were in their late teens.

On further research regarding speaking to my former students as adults, a pattern became clear to me regarding their backgrounds, the majority had lived in care as children. This gave me a very clear and specific view regarding government funded provisions for teenagers.

I have provided government funded provisions for teenagers aged between 13 to 17, and after receiving weekend/summer holiday provisions over a 4 year period. The majority of former students were still getting in trouble with the police.

After being involved in crime preventative measures regarding activities for teenagers, I have come to the conclusion that the services and provisions provided by the government for vulnerable children are not as effective unless support is provided from an early age.

Official Government Research

Prisoners’ childhood and family backgrounds results from the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) longitudinal cohort study of prisoners Ministry of Justice Analytical Services - Series 4/12

If we are serious about reducing crime, preventing reoffending, and decreasing the prison population, we need to understand the relationship between adverse childhood experience and dysfunctionality in later life.

Ultimately this means acknowledging our own failure to protect vulnerable children, and taking responsibility for the suffering they have experienced. It means taking a long look at our shortcomings as a society, and attempting to rectify them. More than anything it means finding it in ourselves to offer compassion to those who need it.

When you read the shocking statistics about the increase in children being taken into care, take a moment to remember how many of them will end up in prison, and ask yourself whether we gave them a fair chance.