But is this just another "soft option" for young criminals?

Laura Shingler, one of Cardiff's Youth offending team's (Yot) ISSP social workers. vehemently disagrees.

"It's a tough programme," she insists.

"We ask the young people - to change their lifestyle, thinking and behaviour.

Under the scheme the young offenders are electronically tagged, under a strict evening curfew and put under a strict timetable of academic and recreational activities.

It is designed to completely turn around their lives.

"That's just about the most difficult thing you can ask a person to do," Ms Shingler continues.

"Their commitment to trying to change impresses me. For them, offending is a lifestyle."

Ashley and Clifford with Laura Shingler

"We all have to realise the young people we are dealing with are part of society who need to be re-integrated.

"People around them need to appreciate its incredibly difficult for them to choose to change their established ways of thinking, living and behaving.

Clifford, 17 and 16-year-old Ashley, both from Cardiff, are two of 15 young men and one women making the most of ISSP.

Both aspiring musicians, they have making their own CD and they see the project as a way back to a life, where they can look forward to more than another spell in prison.

Clifford was offered ISSP by a judge as an alternative to a prison term after his 12th appearance in court

At that point he was already committing commercial burglaries and handling stolen goods.

They are trying to show us that our lives can change. I want to get back on my feet and rely on myself in a legal way

Clifford, 17

He sees the programme as a good opportunity to break his cycle of offending.

"If you grew up like us and you only know the hard way," he explained.

"We moved around all the time and my mother never had much money. I couldn't get what I wanted. The only way I could get the things I wanted was to go out an steal money.

"ISSP tries to show us a way of life that isn't so hard and can get easier.

"They are trying to show us that our lives can change. I want to get back on my feet and rely on myself in a legal way."

Peer pressure

Ashley had been in and out of prison several times before he too was offered ISSP as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

He has only been part of the programme for a short time but says it already makes him feel more confident about his life

"I know that I'll be able to grow up with money in my pocket," he says.

"I decided I had to make a change because I was fed-up of going to jail and bored with nicking cars. The buzz had gone."

They say that peer pressure, boredom and feelings of exclusion played a part in both young men turning to crime.

Clifford said the discipline of the curfew brings things home as he knows that his peers are out enjoying themselves.

"From eight in the evening you know you can't step out of the house - It's aggravating and annoying abut you learn to cope with it," he said.

"But it's either this or be banged-up for most of the day, watching the sun move from one side of the earth to another.

"The scheme is giving people like me the right footsteps to a path that leads you out of crime."