Written by: Lars Højsgaard Andersen

Those whose first encounter with prison comes at a young age commit more crime subsequently than those who remain out of prison for a little longer. This is demonstrated by an analysis of over 500 young men who were sent to prison for the first time during the mid-1990s. Specifically, the analysis examined the cases of young men convicted of crimes of violence who received their sentences before or after a change in practice known as the ‘violent crime package’ in 1994. The intention behind the package was to ensure that young men found guilty of violent crime were jailed immediately they received their sentences.