How do we tackle persistent young offenders?
A good, lively discussion on today's Morning Extra. We're not talking about serious sexual or violent offenders here. We're talking about young men who continually commit what we used to call "petty offences". You know the sort of thing - housebreaking, car crime and shoplifting - crimes which are often committed to feed a drug habit.
Young men usually aren't locked up for individual crimes, but for the kind of repeat offending that blights so many of our communities. And typically a cycle develops where they commit their offences, they're put in prison on a short-term sentence and within a few months are back out in the community committing more crimes.
It's clear that a lot of these short-term sentences aren't working. So that's why the Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill is in Paisley today.
The Turnaround project will offer 10 young men help to tackle the reasons behind their offending over an eight-week period. If successful, the £1.5m scheme could form part of the Scottish Government's attempt to end short-term jail sentences.
Since he was put in charge of justice, Kenny MacAskill has always said that short-term prison sentences don't address the underlying causes of offending and that a lot of these young lads are "sad" rather than "bad".
Has he got a point? Are short term prison sentences failing young offenders?
Internet links
on the Justice Secretary's visit to the Turnaround centre
- body behind the new centre in Paisley
- tries to reduce re-offending by getting young offenders into work, education or training.
- works to give young people in care confidence and motivation.
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