Southend's police chief has warned that jail may be the only punishment for persistent offenders.
Chief Supt Mick Thwaites urged the courts to hit the thugs hard as he gave a guarded welcome to proposals to double the length of community punishment orders dished out to persistent young offenders.
The Youth Justice Board has just published figures which show that intensive supervision and surveillance orders (ISSPs) offer more constructive help to youngsters than jail.
Lord Warner, chairman of the board, said ISSPs - which see young offenders given a programme of education and other schemes to tackle their offending - provided 25 hours a week supervision.
The figure, taken from studies of the first three months of ISSPs, compared with fewer than 13 hours for youngsters in jail on detention and training orders.
Mr Thwaites, who has been spearheading an Evening Echo campaign to stamp out violence in Southend, said: "I am in favour of the principle of catching young offenders early and dissuading them from a life of crime.
"However, with certain individuals the only way to deter them is to give them a custodial sentence. I support community punishment for the right individuals, but I do believe that it does not work with everyone."
Youngsters on ISSPs are usually subjected to a night- time curfew and may be tracked or checked up on by phone during their community programme.
A six-month ISSP costs £6,000 compared with £21,000 for six months in a young offenders' institution.
Published Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article