Criminals who re-offend cost the UK government an estimated £15 billion each year. One of the main reasons why former prisoners return to a life of crime is because of their poor employment opportunities, which is why the British government plans on backing up a project that aims at reducing recidivism rates by teaching prisoners to code.

The scheme is part of a £1.2 million effort to increase the digital skills of people from disadvantaged groups and will be led by volunteers and industry experts. The prisoners will start with basic coding before moving to a more advanced level, and will eventually be able to work on real-world projects with external clients. The hope is that the trials will eventually lead to a network of coding workshops in UK prisons to prepare convicts for the world of work and offer them a chance for a better life after being released from prison.