Young prisoners are moved too often, the trust says

Almost 75% of young men are re-convicted within two years of release, the Prison Reform Trust report says.

It adds 18-20 year olds are moved between jails so often that their education and training suffers and they become more likely to reoffend.

The Prison Service denied it was failing young offenders.

The Prison Service works hard to ensure young offenders have the training and skills to give them every chance of successful rehabilitation Prison Service spokesman

The report, due to be published next week, found many inmates aged 18 to 20 were prolific offenders and likely to become long-term criminals.

The trust wants the government to make young adult inmates a "high priority".

Family relationships

Conditions for them had deteriorated as the government had focused instead on juvenile offenders, it said.

As a result, young adults were regularly moved, sometimes spending just a few days in one prison.

Family relationships were undermined, with more than half being held over 50 miles (80 km) from their home town.

With such problems, the report said it was not surprising almost three-quarters of young male adult offenders were reconvicted within two years of release.

Young adults should be held separately from older inmates, with a Director of Young Prisoners taking overall responsibility, the trust said.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "We refute the Prison Reform Trust allegation that we are failing to meet the needs of the young offender population.

"The Prison Service works hard to ensure young offenders have the training and skills to give them every chance of successful rehabilitation and to address their offending behaviour so they can lead useful and law-abiding lives when they are released back into the community."