£350,000 to ‘cure’ our louts

OLDHAM has been handed £350,000 to coax young hooligans away from a life of crime and back on to the straight and narrow.

The controversial scheme is part of a whopping £5.6 million pot for the North-West aimed at helping clear up loutish behaviour.

So-called Family Intervention Projects, where intensive support for “chaotic” families with children at risk of committing crime or anti-social behaviour will be introduced.

Children and Young People’s Minister Dawn Primarolo said: “We are committed to doing everything we can to prevent young people from getting involved in risky behaviour, to improve their life chances and help them become valued members of their communities.

“Initiatives such as Family Intervention Projects are leading the way in tackling the root causes of anti-social behaviour and youth crime. They tackle problematic, anti-social families and nip problems in the bud.”

As part of the Government’s £100million Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP), there will be more after-school patrols, children moved off the streets at night, and street-based youth teams — engaging young people hanging around.

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: “We know the vast majority of young people make a positive contribution to society.

“However, there are a minority who persist in anti-social behaviour and some in more serious criminal activity — their behaviour will not be tolerated.

“This funding is crucial in our fight against youth crime, both in terms of preventing young people turning to crime and protecting young people becoming victims of crime.

“Early indications show we are having real success up and down the country with YCAP improving lives and communities. But there is still much work to be done.”

In addition, the cash can help with Youth Offending Team workers in custody suites to identify and address young offenders’ needs early on and help keep them on the right track.

CAP was launched in July, last year, in 69 areas across the UK to address underlying causes of poor behaviour and early intervention to tackle problems before they get out of hand.