A SCHEME to get young offenders back on the straight and narrow is paying off in Teesside.

Tees Valley Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) targets persistent offenders or young people who have committed a serious crime. About 160 young people were put on the programme between 2003 and 2004 as part of a court order, a condition of bail, or after serving time in custody.

The programme gives young people the chance to take up education or training opportunities, but they also have to do work to make reparation to their victims or the community as a whole and can be electronically tagged.

Colin Wilson, head of the South Tees Youth Offending Service, said: "Six out of ten young people got through the programme successfully in 2003 to 2004. That's a five per cent improvement on the year before and higher than the national average. We are hoping to do better again this year.

"ISSP is now an integral part of the youth justice system and is playing its part in reducing crime, ensuring victims receive reparation and providing an alternative to custody, which is expensive and often doesn't work. We hope to ensure it continues to make a positive contribution."

Success stories include a teenage girl convicted of a serious assault, who has now won a college award, and a young burglar who received a Duke of Edinburgh award, while making recompense to his victims.

Mr Wilson said the scheme is no soft option. The young offenders are initially supervised for 25 hours a week, but can be put on round-the-clock surveillance during a six- month programme.

He said: "The young people who go on this programme know they have to make real changes in their lifestyle and attitude. They have to make practical reparation and think very carefully where their lives are going."