Researchers at the University of Oxford found that the IntensiveSupervision and Surve-lliance Programme reduced reoffending amongserious and persistent juvenile offenders as much as prison.
Despite widespread criticism that homed in on a finding that nine out of10 of those on the programme went on to reoffend, the study also foundthat the frequency of offending dropped by 39 per cent. The seriousnessof offences also dropped by 13 per cent in the same period.
However, while this exceeded the Youth Justice Board's target of a fiveper cent fall, a similar fall was recorded in the comparison group ofyoung offenders given custodial sentences.
Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said theevaluation showed community sentences can work, even with the mostserious offenders.
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