Schemes are an alternative to imprisonment

The Home Office "Intensive Control and Change Programme" is intended to be an alternative to imprisonment for those found guilty of theft, burglary and mugging.

The scheme will see offenders between the ages of 18 and 20 electronically tagged and subject to a curfew.

In addition, offenders will have to do unpaid community work and take part in schemes designed to address the causes of their criminal behaviour.

Each person will have their own mentor - an adult volunteer who will guide them through the programme, keeping them on the straight and narrow.

Jail alternative

The scheme is to be rolled out in five pilot areas of England later this month and will be extended to another six, including south Wales, in the autumn.

Over the next two years it is estimated that the sentence will be imposed on about 2,000 18 to 20 year olds, who would otherwise have been jailed.

Community sentences have traditionally lacked credibility because they have been widely perceived as a soft option compared to prison.

The Home Office plans draw several strands from previous schemes to cut youth crime.

With prison numbers increasing the Home Office hopes that the combining of several non-custodial schemes will cut re-offending rates.