Scottish Government announced £3.4m funding for offender mentoring

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson - Image credit: Scottish Government Flickr

The Scottish Government has announced £3.4m of funding for mentoring services to help reduce reoffending.

The services, which are delivered by third sector organisations across Scotland, provide one-to-one mentoring to people leaving prison and following community sentences.

Four schemes will receive funding: Shine, a national service for women leaving prison, on remand or struggling to complete community sentences, New Routes, a national service for young men leaving prison, Moving On, which supports young men leaving HMP Polmont Young Offenders’ institution, and Tayside Council on Alcohol, which provides support for men and women on community sentences and other court orders. 

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Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “One-to-one mentoring has been shown to turn people away from crime by helping them address practical or personal problems, such as relationship issues, accessing housing or healthcare, or finding training or work.

“Supporting people to overcome these challenges can stop them offending in the future.

“This funding follows the £15.5 million we have invested through the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund, to create new services that offer mentoring for men and women, either to build a new and better life after their release, or to comply with community sentences.

“This is a key element of our record support for community justice services, which has helped to bring down Scotland’s reconviction rate to its lowest level in 18 years.”