YOUNG criminals could come face to face with their victims under a new scheme to reduce youth offending.

The City of York Council wants to run a pilot project which brings together young offenders and their victims, with the opportunity for criminals to try to make amends.

It will be the first time such a scheme has been run in York to target repeat offenders with the aim of making them aware of the consequences of their crimes and the impact they have on their victims.

And the young criminals will have the opportunity to meet victims and apologise to them.

They will also get the chance to pay compensation to victims, either financially or in kind, by repairing any criminal damage they have caused.

The scheme is modelled on ones run elsewhere in the country.

City councillors will be asked at a meeting on Tuesday to provide £45,000 towards its running costs.

Jim Crook, assistant director of child services with the city council, said: "There is evidence that many victims would appreciate a more direct involvement. Very often the victim is the one person left out. The intention is to give them the choice of being involved - either in receiving an apology or reparation."

He said face-to-face meetings could help ease the tension and reduce fear if the offender lived near the victim.

No victims would be forced to take part in the mediation, but offenders might be made to as part of their punishment.

People working with victims in York today welcomed the initiative, but insisted nobody should be forced to take part.

Tessa Denbeigh, of York and Selby Victim Support, said: "There could be benefits, particularly from young offenders seeing real people and the effect they have on them."

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