‘Gate Mates’ Aim To Curb Youth Reoffending

Former prisoners are to be appointed to every probation service in England and Wales in a bid to cut the number of young offenders who return to crime after a spell in prison. The scheme, which builds on an initiative by the Prince of Wales, aims to break the cycle of reoffending by young people.

Following a summit at Clarence House at which Prince Charles met 25 ex-offenders, ministers are working with the Prince’s Trust and the probation service to set up a network of former inmates to act as key advisers to the 42 local probation services.

The meeting was called after the trust received hundreds of letters from former prisoners who said that without the help of the charity they would have been back in jail. Only one of the 25 ex-prisoners at the summit said they had been met by anyone on leaving jail.

Under the new scheme, former prisoners will be appointed as “gate mates”, offering one-to-one support to newly released offenders. One of the first is Mark Johnson, who has been appointed to the probation service in Dorset. Seven years ago, Mr Johnson was a drug addict living on the streets, until he turned to the trust for help.

He now visits young offenders in prison, and said he is overwhelmed by their response to the proposed gate mate scheme. “This initiative will give young prisoners a positive role model, showing how it is possible to live successfully without reoffending,” he said.

A report for the Prince’s Trust this month put the annual cost of youth crime at more than £1bn a year and said an estimated 70,000 school-age offenders enter the youth justice system every year.

Martina Milburn, the trust’s chief executive, said two out of three offenders return to a life of crime. “We believe that young people who have experienced the criminal justice system are well placed to offer advice,” she said.

A spokesman for Clarence House said Prince Charles receives hundreds of letters a year from young ex-offenders. He was so struck by their stories that he invited the 25 young ex-prisoners to meet senior figures in the criminal justice system, including the home secretary and the attorney general, to discuss how better to help young people in or leaving jail.

“The prince sincerely hopes that by giving ex-prisoners a say on what works and what doesn’t work, this scheme will help break the cycle of reoffending,” the spokesman said.