Here's a stat worth knowing: In the UK, 63% of men who finish short-term prison sentences are back inside within a year for another crime. Helping them stay outside involves job training, classes, therapy. And it would pay off handsomely -- but the government can't find the funds. Toby Eccles shares an imaginative idea for how to change that: the Social Impact Bond. It's an unusual bond that helps fund initiatives with a social goal through private money -- with the government paying back the investors (with interest) if the initiatives work.

Toby Eccles: Invest in social change

Invest in social change

A stunning 63% of UK men released from short-term prison sentences re-offend within a year, spotlighting a cycle of crime.

Social impact bonds offer a novel approach: investors fund social programs, with government paying back if goals are met.

From reducing recidivism to aiding children in care, social impact bonds blend private investment with public good outcomes.