Of the five areas which discontinued programmes in 1998, the main reasons given were budgetary restrictions, cost ineffectiveness and low numbers of referrals. Many demanding physical activity programmes have been set up by individual Probation Service areas, but most of the programmes are operated by other organisations. Outdoor adventure activities are the most commonly provided but there is no clear-cut evidence that they are more effective than other activities for changing offending behaviour. Physical activities are perceived by probation officers and programme managers to be an effective medium through which personal and social skills can be developed. Key features can be identified as good practice for demanding physical activity programmes.
Evaluation needs to be improved in many programmes.
Research confirms there is a general consensus that a range of positive outcomes may be achieved by physically demanding programmes for young people at risk of offending. A further eight areas had either provided or referred young offenders to such programmes in the recent past but had discontinued this practice by 1997. There is a wide variation in the nature of demanding physical activity programmes used. In contrast, as shown in Table 2, many programmes use activities which are more local and accessible, with greater potential for continued, independent participation by young offenders. However, there is no evidence to suggest that one type of activity is more effective for changing offending behaviour than another.