US city is paying people not to commit crimes

Officials in the San Francisco and Oakland area are trying to slow down crime.

They're newest plan is called 'Advanced Peace' and is being tested in Richmond, California: it's going to try to curb crime using an unusual method.

The plan is to simply pay people to not commit crime. How it works is that the programme - which is completely funded by private donations - will hire convicted criminals to work with troubled youths.

If they do well in the voluntary programme, then they will be able to earn $1,000 a month and even get free trips to places like Washington DC, New York City and London.

Obviously this has caused a bit of controversy, with people who are against the plans suggesting the free trips should be going to the victims of crimes, not the perpetrators.

However, on the other hand, a young person being mentored in the program, Sylvan, told Fox News: "I have never had a job, I never knew what a W2 was or how you make a resume. They taught me everything."

These are the kind of results the program needs if it is going to continue successfully.