The Government has announced that £5m will be made available to help keep young people away from crime by encouraging them to take part in sports.
Statistics show around 80% of prolific adult offenders begin committing crimes as children – with the economic and social costs of reoffending costing the public purse an estimated £18bn per year.
The £5m will provide charities across England and Wales with the support they need to run programmes designed to steer young people away from law-breaking and into positive activities aimed at teaching teamwork, resilience and discipline.
Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said: ‘I have seen first-hand how local sports projects can transform the lives of young people from tough backgrounds, getting them off the streets and teaching them life skills including teamwork, discipline, and resilience.
‘That’s why we’re investing £5m in innovative sporting schemes up and down the country. It is part of our £300m investment to support every council across England and Wales in catching and preventing youth offending earlier than ever, making our streets safer.’
