Giving teenagers a chance - how Mayor aims to get to the root of the problem

The problem:

Youth offending institutions have gained reputations as academies of crime 78 per cent of inmates re-offend within 12 months.

The solution:

The Mayor, who has held talks with Justice Secretary Jack Straw, plans to support first-time offenders in custody. They will be moved to secure establishments closer to home and be subject to highly focused prevention work in their first 24 hours inside. They will be segregated from repeat offenders who could encourage them back into crime. They will be given literacy, maths and skills training to boost their career prospects, including employment programmes with companies including National Grid and Sainsbury's. As revealed by the Standard last week, the Mayor hopes to set up a 150-bed institution specifically for young first-time offenders.

PROJECT BRODIE

The problem:

Almost all young offenders have first played truant from school, leaving them more time to get into trouble but also depriving them of key educational tools which could offer them a more fruitful path through life.

The solution:

Mr Johnson will work with schools, through their local councils, to keep children in school by early intervention.

Police will give greater priority to working with education welfare officers to round up truants. Schools will be encouraged to use new technology including instant texting and calls to parents when a child is not in the classroom. Parents whose children repeatedly miss school will face fines. Local authorities across the capital will sign up to a single truancy agreement as many children cross borough boundaries to go to school.

EDUCATION PROJECT

The problem:

London's 11,000 children in long-term care are three times more likely to end up in custody. Later in life they are over-represented in prison, homeless shelters and mental health institutions.

The solution:

A programme of Mayor's Scholars where children entering the care system would get individual educational support through the early years, including tutoring at school and, as they move through foster homes, support from a single mentor who could help with homework. The Mayor has already announced plans for at least 10 city academies in the most deprived parts of the capital, at a cost of £10 million. Transport for London is looking at setting up an academy in east London to develop the skills needed in the transport industry. Mr Johnson will also promote more apprenticeships for 16-year-old school leavers.

PROJECT TITAN

The problem:

Young people will rarely respect others unless they respect themselves first or be able to resist malign influences unless they have the inner strength to do so.

The solution:

The Mayor wants to support the expansion of organisations which help develop character and responsibility in young people. He will provide grants, premises, coordination and publicity to uniformed organisations such as the Scouts and Guides, police and army cadet forces as well as schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

He is in talks with the Met police, probation service, parole board and London councils to use powers to compel young people on the fringes of criminality to sign up. A small pilot project carried out by the Met found there was a zero re-offending rate so far for troubled young people who joined the police cadets.

SPORT AND MUSIC

The problem:

London children do not have enough access to sport which could make them better behaved, motivated and fitter and help them learn about conflict resolution, fair play and respect for others. Music education is also sparse.

The solution:

The Mayor's Commissioner for Sport, Kate Hoey, has announced at least £10 million of LDA funding for grassroots sport in the capital. She is drawing up a sporting legacy plan to increase participation around the Olympics. Mr Johnson wants children not only to be entertained by music and the arts but also to develop the patience and self-discipline required for success. He will encourage established music groups and orchestras to improve their educational projects, for many a key requirement for public funding, and is asking people who no longer use their instruments to hand them in to be distributed to schools and music groups.