By Duncan Walker BBC News Online Magazine

Each year the UK jails about 20,000 young men and women between the ages of 15 and 20. At the end of their sentences three out of four will reoffend.

High levels of unemployment, drugs misuse, homelessness and mental health problems are all cited as reasons why many fail to mend their ways. All too often, the victims of their crimes are followed in turn by yet more victims.

"It's all very well to have motivation at the beginning, but when you're getting rejected by employers and in poor housing, it can take a super human effort to get through it," says prisons charity the Howard League for Penal Reform.

If we genuinely wish to see a reduction in offending, neglect must be rectified Howard League for Penal Reform So what's so hard about leaving prison?

But some do make a break with the past, particularly when they have support from family or outside organisations.

Among those determined to make a new start are Matthew, Nicole and Boyd, all of whom have left prison in the past couple of weeks.

Here they talk of how they got into trouble in the first place and their hopes for the future. The BBC News Online Magazine will be following their progress in the coming months.

"Before I came to jail I would probably nick a car, take it down the park and get wrecked," says 17-year-old Matthew Badham of a typical day with friends in Stirchley, Birmingham.

It was behaviour which frequently landed him in trouble with police and he has just finished a five month sentence at Brinsford Young Offenders Institution for driving while disqualified.

Matthew also spent two weeks inside in November, for breaking the terms of supervision order aimed at his prolific offending, but he says he has learned his lesson.

"Last time I got out of jail I just wanted to smoke weed and get drunk, but this time I want to get on and help myself."

While at Brinsford he took part in a pilot work programme run by crime reduction charity Nacro, which helped him get an interview for part-time work at a garage.

He hopes to combine the job with a college course, possibly leading to his first qualifications - as a mechanic or a bricklayer.

"I did not even know what a CV was," says Matthew of his lack of skills before the course. "I have been out of school since Year 8 [when he was 13] and I would not have had the information to go into a job centre.

"I would have rung other people getting out at the same time and probably have gone robbing with them again."

Successfully completing the course will mean staying away from the old friends who joined him in stripping stolen cars to sell their parts.

It will also mean spending more time with his family, including a two-year-old sister he has "only seen about 13 times". Like others in his position, he will have about �40 a week in benefits to live on.

Starting again will be difficult, but Matthew is confident he will achieve his goals.

"Jail has helped me realise what a little bleeder I was," he says.

"I feel like I have been born again, even if it sounds corny," says 19-year-old Nicole, who asked that we not use her surname.

Over the past 15 months she has beaten the six year crack cocaine habit she began at the age of 12, and alcoholism.

Following an intensive rehabilitation programme at Drake Hall prison in Staffordshire, where she was sent on her 18th birthday for robberies, Nicole is busily planning her future.

She has found a college place and will soon be starting GCSEs in maths and English, as well as sociology and a counselling course which she hopes will help her become a drugs counsellor.

"I can't wait to go to college. The main reason I want to take my GCSEs is that I never took them. But I'm also looking forward to meeting some friends."

She blames her drugs habit on childhood problems, including the death of her mother from a heroin overdose when Nicole was three.

"I don't know what my aim was, maybe I was trying to follow in her footsteps. I found her dead and I remember that."

A 30-year-old man first introduced Nicole to crack cocaine, and she was soon with a 17-year-old boyfriend, who she describes as a "heavy user".

She first went to prison when she was 16, serving six months for grievous bodily harm, but never stayed off crack for more than a month - despite the support of her father.

Leaving prison this time means moving away from her home town of Watford, to make a fresh start.

Of a recent visit she says: "Nothing at all had happened - there were memories of the past everywhere. I would not have survived if I had gone back to that town."

Home is now Sheffield, where Nicole has a cousin, and for the next few months she will be in secure accommodation - as part of the conditions for her release on tag.

But she hopes to get her own flat before too long, and has high hopes for the future.

"I want to be working, a career woman. I want no relationship, no kids, just to be enjoying myself in my own place," she says.

Nicole says she is determined to become a drugs counsellor to help others avoid the mistakes she made.

"I think a lot of people out there are very confused, very insecure and the environment they're in is not helping them and they need a lot of support."

Leaving prison after three-and-a-half years is a big deal to 18-year-old Boyd Cochrane.

It does not just mean beginning part time work with the YMCA and training as a mechanic, but also starting a new life away from his home town of Halifax - and his seven brothers and sisters.

Boyd, who was jailed for wounding with intent when he was 15, is moving more than 150 miles to Cheltenham - to avoid any old friends who may not share his determination to change.

He says that since his release: "People in Halifax have been giving me mucky looks. But you have to ask 'who's going to end up in prison again in a few months'?"

Adjusting to life in jail was something he found difficult, and Boyd says he did little for the first 18 months.

And he adds: "I felt institutionalised towards the end of my sentence, for being locked up for such a long time from such a young age."

But Boyd, who was released from Morland Prison in Doncaster, is positive about his future and made up for his time out of school by gaining a maths GCSE, a sports leadership award, and bronze and silver youth achievement awards.

He is most proud of his work as part of group which made a video and CD for schools, on prison life, and the dangers of bullying.

It is this kind of work for other people he is now keen to build on during his time at the YMCA - whether that's helping out around the building, carrying shopping or working in the gym.

In the meantime, there's getting used to being in charge of his own life to get used to.

"The first couple of days I was waiting in my bedroom for someone to come and open my door for me, and then I realised it was unlocked."

Add your comments on this story, using the form below.

I know lots of people who have been in the same situation. Some move on and some don't - but the ones who have moved on have much better lives now.
Lynsey Wrightson, Sunderland

Wouldn't it be far better to spend money on helping the victims of crime to get over what happened rather than the people who committed them?
Paul, UK

It's stories like this that make me realise what a great childhood I had, and how lucky I was to have parents that cared for me.
Dave, UK

Prisoners are real people, some people find that hard to stomach. Don't accept them and they will behave exactly like they did before. Guys (and girl).....don't get back in there, enjoy life.
Justin Thomas, England

Although you have probably caused a lot of misery to other people you should all have a second chance. Motivation by you, with education and support from society, should get you on the road to success and happiness.
Mike Hall, UK

My son has been in and out of prison, starting in a young offenders. As much as I tried to help, peer pressure and lack of support from anywhere else, including social services and probation, just meant that life on the outside was too difficult and re-offending was inevitable.
Lynne Jarman, UK

I can't help but think, that if prison life were somewhat harsher, with a hard regime, none of these youngsters would want to go back ever.
The 'lectrician, UK

I know people who have gone to prison and they also decided to change for the better, I just want to say good luck to you all.
Claire, Cornwall, England

Despite the fact that I grew up in a rough neighbourhood with family problems and a number of my friends at school used drugs, I didn't take the same path as them and managed to be a law abiding citizen all my life.
Steve, Bedfordshire UK

Good luck to all three of them. I hope they make something of themselves and never go back to the life they used to have.
Denise Snaith, Great Britain

A dedicated mentor system should be set up, with mentors paid an allowance to guide and support and in some cases house released offenders and give them a new sense of family, hope and support.
Paul, UK

If successful, they will become examples and champions for other young people who will find the prospect of keeping clean and honest once released from prison a major challenge.
Mike, UK

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