TV reality show to give short, sharp shock to youths tempted by crime

Ever since the "short, sharp shock" was suggested in the 1970s by the former home secretary Willie Whitelaw as the best deterrent to a life of crime, there has been a debate about whether subjecting young men to harsh incarceration has the desired effect and whether judges should make greater use of custody at an early stage. Now the theory is to be tested in the form of a reality television series, to be screened this summer, featuring a former home secretary, reformed criminals and a former prison officer with strong views on the failings of the current system.

The series, Banged Up, comes after the suggestion on Thursday by Glyn Travis, the assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, that "prison is no longer a deterrent - it is merely an occupational hazard". The aim of Banged Up, which was commissioned by Channel Five, is to take young men "on the cusp of a life of crime" and subject them to the criminal justice system in all its forms. The former home secretary David Blunkett heads the "parole board" of a "prison" - a former jail in Scarborough - where the young inmates find themselves alongside old lags who give them an impression of what life is really like behind bars.

"The prime task of any criminal justice system is to prevent people from committing a crime in the first place, and then to avoid reoffending," said Blunkett of the aim of the programme. "Getting across a clear message, forewarning young people what prison is like, and encouraging them to take an alternative path in life has to make sense. Therefore, linking preventive work in warning young people with a clear method of getting across to both potential criminals and the public as a whole the reality of prison will make a significant contribution to both education and greater understanding."

Also taking part will be Jim Dawkins, an ex-soldier with the Royal Green Jackets, who worked as a prison officer for seven years at Belmarsh, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs before leaving the service. He wrote graphically about his experiences in his book 'The Loose Screw', in which he lifted the lid on some of the practices of his fellow officers. The book carried a complimentary foreword by Charles Bronson, who has the reputation of being Britain's most violent criminal, but with whom Dawkins established a rapport in prison.

"The problem, as I see it, is that it is quite the opposite to short and sharp these days," is how Dawkins describes the issue of punishment in prison. "The shock is, in fact, meted out as a constant battering of an individual's emotions over many months."

Of Banged Up, he said: "By the end of filming, I was emotionally and physically exhausted but had thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was amazed at how well everyone came together to give the kids as real an experience as possible." Ex-prisoners who work with young people to deter them from crime also participate.

A call for systematic innovation within the criminal justice system is made today by the Young Foundation thinktank, which argues that the number of young people sent to prison could be dramatically reduced. A new strategy would "involve the community in taking responsibility for crime and dealing with offenders". The foundation suggests that a body similar to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence but dealing with crime and punishment be set up.

"Building ever more prisons is neither sustainable nor affordable," said Geoff Mulgan, the foundation's director. "Nor is an endless stream of new national legislation. What we need now is much more systematic innovation in alternatives which address the causes of crime - from poor skills to mental health - and bring down the reconviction rates."

He added: "We need to mobilise local communities and families to become a much larger part of the solution."