A great investment opportunity, where crime reduction is concerned?

An article in today's Guardian reports that 'The cost of crime related to "conduct problems" – defined by the report as problems such as disobedience, lying, fighting and stealing – is £60bn a year' and that 'Up to 80% of crime in the UK is committed by people who had behavioural problems as children and teenagers'.

In the context of the suggestion that 'A lifetime of crime committed by a single prolific offender can cost up to £1.5m', a great opportunity for churches and other agencies to make a huge difference by providing pre-school group parenting programmes and other similar early intervention programmes.