Put children at risk of offending on Sure Start programmes, says Institute for Public Policy Research

Primary school age children at risk of offending should be put on enhanced Sure Start-style programmes, a think-tank said today.
 
The Institute for Public Policy research said it wanted to see more preventive services to stop children from becoming “career criminals”.
 
The IPPR also recommended moving Home Office money earmarked for expanding prison places into residential drug treatment centres, and said about 5,000 prisoners with mental health problems should be treated in mental health accommodation.
 
It also called for 2,000 women prisoners serving less than six months to be given community rather than prison sentences.
 
The proposals will be published by the IPPR as part of a collection of essays to mark the 10th anniversary of Labour’s 1997 election win.