A recent TV programme about a restaurant set up and run in a prison showed indirectly the cost to the taxpayer of a poor education.

The featured prisoners had a poor education and the result in some cases was career criminals.

The average cost of their imprisonment was £40,000 a year all because they had limited opportunities in life.

Had they had a decent education, gone to college or university they could have taken a different path.

With most college courses costing less than £9000 a year surely this would be better for the taxpayer to fund than a prison sentence that could be for several years, the government should fund all education as it works out far cheaper in the long run than a life of crime.

The restaurant gave prisoners something to aim for and helped find them work when released, it was a good example of how people can be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

At the same time it showed that investment in the individual is something that pays dividends in the long run, writing people off only reinforces unlawful behaviour and bad habits.

Ian Davies, Worcester Road, Blackburn.