In my experience, those who offend are often disconnected from what I would call the mainstream of society. For example, there are pockets of communities where young people don’t ever see positive role models. so they model their behaviour on what they do see and find communities which support that behaviour.

That’s why, once someone is in custody, it’s a time of great opportunity. A typical adult male offender has reading and writing levels below that of the average 11-year-old. At Ashfield Young Offenders’ Institute (YOI), we have 15- and 16-year-olds coming in with the reading and writing skills of a seven-year-old. So we spend a lot of time and money investing in education and the skills that will give people access to the labour market.

We try to give them a framework with structures and routines. You take any offender out of the chaotic community in which they often live, remove them from their peer group, help them off drugs and onto three good meals a day, and it can give them a window of lucidity so that they can see a different way of life.

The downside can be that we take on the role of a nanny – doing their laundry and providing meals – and that’s not real life. In the prisons and YOIs run by Serco we work hard to encourage people to be responsible. We know from research that if you have to make choices in prison you are more likely to cope once you are out. For example, we have discussion groups where, once a month, the director will meet with the wing representatives to talk about any problems and possible solutions.

Unfortunately, re-offending rates are still too high. It’s estimated that 82% of young offenders will re-offend within two years of leaving custody, while the figure for adults is 56%. For both groups, the most effective way to stop reoffending is for people to have somewhere to live and either a job or an activity, such as training. For example, at Ashfield YOI we often grant youngsters ‘release on temporary licence’ so they can do a course or gain real work experience in the community. It’s a risk but we know it’s the right course of action.

We are also setting up mentoring schemes in our prisons. For instance, we have ‘gate mates’ who will mentor someone in custody and then literally meet them at the gate when they come out, help them sign on if necessary and travel with them to their accommodation. In other cases we use peer support in the community, where ex-offenders mentor those that have recently been released.

To those who say we should just lock people up and throw away the key, I reply that if prison were simply about punishment it wouldn’t work; it would just be warehousing. Going to prison and losing your liberty is the punishment. To keep an adult in prison can cost £32,000 a year and a child £55,000. As taxpayers we are paying this money regardless, so do you want me to do something to change behaviour or would you rather I did nothing? If I do nothing, the same person will re-enter society and is statistically likely to reoffend.

So yes, in my view, it’s vital that prisoners and young offenders have computers in classrooms, Apple Macs in the music room and access to a range of education classes. If it gets them away from their previous lifestyle, it’s worth it.