A pioneering scheme aimed at preventing young people from being sucked into a downward spiral of crime was launched yesterday.

The project, also being tested in Nottinghamshire and Lancashire, means that young offenders in court for the first time now face a new-style 'referral orders' system aimed at preventing re-offending through positive intervention.

Panels of youth workers and members of the local community will get together to agree a contract of 'corrective reparation' with parents, victims and the young offenders themselves. The new system follows the pattern laid down by the 'restorative justice' scheme piloted by Thames Valley police, where offenders are brought face-to-face with the victims of their crimes.

Launching the scheme, the Home Office Minister, Charles Clarke, stressed tackling youth crime was a Government priority.

He said: "By helping young offenders understand the distressing consequences of their actions, we aim to ensure they take responsibility for them.

"And by developing a programme of meaningful activity, we aim to make their first court appearance their last. "These referral orders should in no way be seen by offenders as a soft option."