Prisoners' children to be tracked

Children with parents in jail are to be "tracked" throughout their education to stop them slipping into the same cycle of crime.

Home Office minister Hazel Blears wants to target the offspring of 125,000 criminals and offer them additional lessons to stop them falling behind at school.

She said: "About 125,000 kids have got a dad in prison. Something like 65 per cent of those children will end up in prison themselves. We need to track the children who are most at risk.

"You can intervene at an early age and say 'Your life can be different and we will help you and your parents make your life different'."