Let me say it plainly:
£7 billion.
That’s how much the government is spending to build 14,000 new prison places. Fourteen. Thousand.
And yet, once again, there’s no ring-fenced investment for prevention. No dedicated funding for the programmes we already know help children avoid ending up behind bars in the first place.
It’s outrageous.
We are pouring money into the system after it’s failed our young people – rather than investing before the damage is done.
When Will They Wake Up?
The data is there. The research is clear. We know what works:
- Emotional literacy
- Mentoring
- Mental health support
- Personal development education
- Early intervention
These aren’t wishy-washy ideas. These are proven strategies that reduce crime, violence, and antisocial behaviour.
But year after year, they’re sidelined.
A Country on the Back Foot
We’re constantly firefighting – throwing money at the consequences of failure, while ignoring the root causes.
We see it everywhere:
- Knife crime rising
- Mental health services overwhelmed
- Children falling through the cracks
- Teachers plugging gaps that social services can’t fill
And what’s the government response?
Build more prisons.
More walls. More bars. More lost potential.
Where’s the Logic?
We’re not saying prisons aren’t needed. But let’s be honest:
If we have £7 billion to build new prison spaces, then we damn well have the money to invest in the 14,000 children who might otherwise fill them.
What would happen if we spent that money earlier, wiser, and more humanely?
We might not need as many cells at all.
What Every Child Deserves
Every child deserves a future that isn’t dictated by postcode, trauma, or neglect. Every child deserves:
- The chance to build a life of meaning and purpose
- The skills to navigate risk and make good decisions
- A safe school environment that supports their wellbeing
- Access to emotional and mental health support
But until the system reflects that, we’ll keep watching lives unravel before our eyes – and then pay billions trying to stitch them back together inside a prison system that was never meant to be the solution.
What Needs to Happen – Right Now
We’re calling on the government to do what’s right. What’s obvious.
We urgently need:
A personal development curriculum in every school
Ring-fenced funding for early support and emotional wellbeing
National investment in prevention, not just punishment
This isn’t radical. It’s just common sense.
So Here’s What You Can Do
📄 Read our white paper – packed with practical, affordable recommendations
👉 Click here to read »
🖊️ Sign and share the petition – let’s send a message they can’t ignore
👉 Click here to sign »
📣 Tell your friends, your network, your MP – we need to make a lot of noise
We Need a New Legacy
Let this be the moment we stop normalising a system that waits until children fall — before we even think of catching them.
Let this be the generation that built better futures, not just bigger prisons.
It’s time. Stand with us. Speak up. Help us change this story — before it’s too late.
