'Academies' to stop young going back to a life of crime

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The new centres, proposed by a panel of experts including former chief prisons inspector Lord Ramsbotham, would provide schooling, job training and even secure units for the most dangerous offenders.

The first centre, catering for 200 under-18s, is planned for the East End to help prevent teenagers from going back to a life of crime.

The plans emerged as Families Secretary Ed Balls tried to shift the youth justice system away from punishment towards early intervention and welfare.

As part of a youth action plan to be published this summer, Mr Balls's department is expected to back the idea of giving councils responsibility for tackling young offending. New town hall-run "children's trusts" would take over powers to manage under-18s locked up in Prison Service-run young offender institutions, as well as privately run secure training units.

Lord Ramsbotham today said that his own plans to create a network of young offender "academies" could tackle the roots of the problem. Currently, 2,430 of the 2,900 under-18s locked up are in Prison Service-run young offender institutions, at an average cost of £45,000 a place.