An important new study shows that preventing a high-risk youth from becoming involved in criminal activity will save society millions of dollars.
The study was conducted by Professors Mark A. Cohen of Vanderbilt University and Alex R. Piquero of University of Maryland, College Park, and funded by YouthBuild USA. It shows that:

• The present value to society of providing effective prevention and treatment resources for youthful offenders is estimated to range from $2.6 to $5.3 million, per person depending on the young person’s age and prior level of criminal involvement.
• A high-risk youth with six or more police contacts over his lifetime imposes between $4.2 and $7.2 million in societal costs in his or her lifetime. This group commits 50% of all crimes. Successful interventions are highly cost-effective.
• The value of lost productivity for a high school dropout is estimated to be $390,000 to $580,000 over a lifetime.