£660,000 pilot project aims to cut re-offending

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Renfrewshire Council is throwing its weight behind a £660,000, three-year pilot project designed to break the cycle of revolving door justice which sees nearly one in four former prisoners convicted of another offence within six months of their release.

The 'Moving On' project is managed by NCH Scotland with its partners Fairbridge in Scotland, The Prince's Trust, Youth Link in Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service. If the project is a success, the work will run beyond the initial three years and may be rolled out into other areas of Scotland.

The Robertson Trust has co-ordinated the project's development and is putting up around half of the money for the first three years. The balance is coming from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, the Henry Smith Charity and the Laidlaw Youth Trust. Renfrewshire Council is providing support in kind.

The project targets young, male offenders, aged between 16 and 21 years old, who are returning to the Renfrewshire area after serving their sentences at Polmont Young Offenders' Institution or Greenock Prison. They are entitled to help from Renfrewshire Council's criminal justice service but few of them currently take up this offer.

Councillor Eileen McCartin, convener of Renfrewshire Council's community and family care policy board, said: "Stopping young people from getting into the vicious circle of committing one crime after another can only be good for the community, and it can only be good for the young person."

"Prisoners who are released on licence have to be supervised by the council after they leave prison. Most young offenders aren't subject to supervision so they can miss the safety net that is designed to help them get back on their feet. That's where the 'Moving On' project comes into its own."

Project staff start building a relationship with young offenders when they are first taken into custody. On release, they link the young men into appropriate council and voluntary services to make sure that the young person's basic needs are met. These needs can include housing, benefits and health issues such as drug or alcohol addiction.

The project will also work with the offender's family to help re-build and maintain relationships, and provide practical and emotional support while the young person is in prison and when they get out.

Once the basics are in place, project staff start to tackle the issues which are known to contribute to re-offending: poor communication skills; low self-esteem; and anger management. People on the project will also be able to attend courses run by The Prince's Trust and Fairbridge in Scotland to help them move on in their lives and set positive goals for the future.

Christine Scullion, assessment manager for The Robertson Trust, said: "The 'Moving On' project has taken over two years to bring to fruition with a lot of hard work from all the partners. Partnership working will be the key to making this project a success, and to enabling the young men and their families to access the range of support and help which they need."

Press release: Monday 14 April 2008