Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

FEWER THAN a dozen districts in the State produce the great bulk of juvenile offenders and prison inmates. Born into poverty and with inadequate education, these citizens are 30 times more likely to end up in court than their middle-class neighbours.

And, once a criminal record has been established, they are likely to return to prison again and again. This vicious cycle must be broken through the provision of early- intervention State services and family support systems.