Children as young as 12 could be tagged under a radical £1.25 million scheme to tackle persistent young offenders in York and North Yorkshire.

About 60 of the worst young criminals - responsible for a significant proportion of crime in the area - are to be tackled in the initiative.

Offenders aged between just 12 and 17 are to be tagged for the first time, to keep them under constant electronic surveillance.

And a team of 17 support workers will see them daily on a one-to-one basis to give them intensive support over problems such as drugs, homelessness, and educational difficulties.

The offenders, who commit crimes ranging from burglary and theft to criminal damage and assault, will also take part in reparation schemes where their victims wish to participate.

The Government-funded scheme will aim to cut crime by persistent young offenders by ten per cent over the next three years, compared to a national target of five per cent.

"This is an ambitious project that will be aimed at a small core of young offenders who commit the majority of youth crime, and who have failed to respond to other support and activities to help them stop offending," said David Poole, manager of York's Youth Offending Team.

He said the scheme, to be launched in October, would involve young offenders who had been through the courts at least four times in the previous 12 months.

He said many young offenders had problems with substance misuse and homelessness and would be given support and advice. He said tagging of adults had happened previously but not of young people.

"It's a bit of carrot and a bit of stick," he said.

Peter Foulsham, manager of North Yorkshire's Youth Offending Team said offenders would be targeted right across the county no matter where they lived. "It will be in York, Scarborough and Harrogate, but also in Clifton and Clapham, Aysgarth and Acomb," he said.

Of the money £750,000 will go to North Yorkshire and half a million pounds to York. The money will make a difference to York, said Coun Bob Scrase, City of York Council's executive member for Community Safety and Local Affairs.

"All too often I hear from residents that more must be done to target youth crime. There is a lot that goes on already but we need to do more and this award is a superb example of how partnership working produces results for York."

Updated: 11:20 Friday, June 22, 2001