C-Far helps offenders to rehabilitate

In the four years since the Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation (C-FAR) in Highampton opened, 52 of the 232 men taken in are known to have reoffended.

Bosses admit they have lost track of 54 of their former recruits.

But they claim the 11-week course can reduce re-conviction rates and lower the number of people in prison.

On Wednesday C-Far's chief executive Trevor Philpott was meeting Home Office minister Paul Goggins to discuss the centre.

But he denied the lost offenders marred the centre's success.

You have to look at the overall success of the change that we are seeing in these young men Trevor Philpott, C-Far

"If you look at the statistics produced by the Home Office there are many young people who disappear off the statistic numbers," he said.

"You have to look at the overall success of the change that we are seeing in these young men."

The centre opened in 2000 offering men aged between 18 and 24 a tough programme of personal development and training.

Mr Philpott, an ex-Royal Marine, admitted those chosen for the programme have to show motivation to change their ways while in prison.

"The important thing is that the level of offending has gone down significantly for those that have gone back into it," he said.

"We believe that in partnership with the correctional services we can provide a very valuable contribution to the whole process of reducing re-conviction rates and lowering the size of our prison population."