The Preston United project arranges for Category D prisoners, who are serving time in an open prison and given temporary release to work in the community, to talk to groups of 12- to 21-year-olds to raise awareness of the risks of guns and gangs and the reality of life behind bars.
Omar Khan, the project's manager, is now in talks with the Home Office and the Youth Justice Board about replicating the Preston model in five London boroughs, where youth gang and gun crime are a growing problem.
Youth offending team officers and youth group leaders from London will also be shadowing the project in Preston to see what lessons can be transferred to the capital.
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