RESEARCH has revealed the hidden cost of England’s “revolving door” of prolific offending.

A report by the Revolving Doors charity and the Newton consultancy found that between 30,000 and 50,000 people are trapped in cycles of reoffending, responsible for at least 130,000 crimes each year. 

The group estimates that it costs the criminal justice system £242 million annually and up to £5.2 billion across public services, with lifetime costs of over £1.4m per person.

Holly, whose name has been changed to provide anonymity, became caught in the revolving door following the breakdown of an abusive relationship. 

She said her cycle of crime stemmed from “unmet health and social needs” including trauma, addiction and undiagnosed mental illness, adding that more effective support was needed “to address the root causes.”

Revolving Doors chief executive Pavan Dhaliwal said: “Every day we see headlines about shoplifting and ‘prolific offenders.’ 

“This analysis reveals the real story: a small group of people, living with deep trauma and ill health, costing the country billions while receiving little meaningful support. 

“The evidence is clear: we can either keep pouring money into crisis responses or we can break the revolving door through prevention and rehabilitation.”