UK: minister announces £3.4m to steer criminals away from reoffending

Four mentoring services that work with criminals to prevent re-offending are to receive £3.4m in grants from the Scottish government.

The schemes involve one-to-one mentoring for people leaving prison and those on community sentences.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson announced the funding on a visit to one project in Dundee.

He said supporting people to overcome challenges could stop them offending in the future.

The services include New Routes, a national service for young men leaving prison, and Moving On, which supports those leaving Polmont Young Offenders Institution.

Further organisations getting a financial boost include Tayside Council on Alcohol (TCA), which supports those on community sentences and other court orders, and Shine, a national service for women who are leaving prison, remanded in custody or are struggling to complete community services.

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