A pioneering project to help stop children becoming involved in crime is being trialled in the Braintree area.

The Rainer Rapid Action Project (RAP), the first of its kind in the country, places independent youth workers in police stations to assist and support children, young people and their families.

Rainer RAP aims to support young people who come into contact with the police outside of the statutory support provided to young offenders.

It has been devised to help youngsters and their families cope with some of the known problems that may involve them in crime in the future.

Youth outreach workers will be based at Braintree police station and will deal with referrals from police officers on site whenever they deal with a person aged between five and 13 who receives a reprimand for an offence, commits an offence when aged under ten, is truanting from school, or lives with domestic violence in their home.

Published Thursday, September 9, 2004

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