Ministers have welcome a new plan to invest in crime prevention and detection research.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has announced that it is investing £20 million in studying crime prevention.

Home Office minister Michael Wills said: "The reduction in crime is one of the main aims of the Home Office and the government. It is clearly of great importance to society. The launch of the EPSRC 'think crime' programme is an excellent opportunity for the UK's leading scientists and engineers to become involved in turning this aim into reality."

Forum Response: EPSRC

Jane Sykes, spokeswoman for the EPSRC, told ePolitix.com: "This is a fantastic opportunity to unite some of our best academic minds with the people who are charged with reducing crime in the UK. We want to grasp the latest in academic innovation to provide the next generation of prevention and detection technology that will have a significant impact in the fight against crime."