Barnardo's in call to break crime cycle.

YOUTH crime could be cut by earlier intervention, children's charity Barnardo's Cymru have claimed.

In a report out today called How Barnardo's Breaks The Cycle, the charity said more than pounds 100m could be saved by helping just one in 10 children sentenced to custody.

Barnardo's Cymru director Yvonne Rodgers said: "Our Breaking the Cycle TV ad-vertisemenshows how many children find themselves in a vicious cycle of neglect and abuse, underachievement, exclusion from school, and involvement in drugs and crime. Barnardo's refuses to accept the inevitability of this.

"Young people should be treated as children first and offenders second. By getting good advice and support services we can really break the cycle for young people at risk of getting caught up in the criminal justice system.

"Particularly in the case of those children who end up in custody, the costs of failing to help are spectacularly expensive while being largely unsuccessful in reducing criminality.

"The youth justice system in England and Wales cost the public purse pounds 649m in 2007. More than 80% of chil-drereleased from custody will re-offend again within a year."

Barnardo's Cymru runs a number of projects aimed at dealing with the problem, including the Ely 5-15 team in Cardiff which provides support for young people.

Barnardo's Cymru policy director Andy James added: "We can and must work to break the cycle at all stages."