The Youth Justice Board should do more to ensure its programmes are effective in reducing re-offending, MPs have concluded.

A report published on Tuesday by the Commons public accounts committee also warned the proportion of young offenders given custodial sentences varies significantly across the country.

The committee said that of the seven per cent of young offenders sentenced to custody, eight out of ten re-offend despite planned expenditure of £283 million on providing custodial sentences.

The MPs warned that short periods of custody "are unlikely to make an impact on offending behaviour, nor help offenders gain the educational qualifications often necessary for a change in lifestyle".

"If re-offending rates are to be reduced, custodial and non-custodial elements of sentences, and rehabilitation during and on completion of sentence, need to be better integrated by the Youth Justice Board," said the report.

"The Youth Justice Board should review the ability of custodial establishments to tailor education programmes to meet the needs of those offenders serving short sentences."

There was also a warning that while effective rehabilitation is critical to reducing re-offending rates, local youth offending teams "face difficulties in placing young offenders back into education, employment or suitable housing".

"A more joined up approach is needed between the Home Office, the Department of Health, the Department for Education and Skills, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and local authorities," said the committee.

"Incentives should be put in place, for example, by offering continuing youth offending team caseworker support to educational establishments, and through establishing shared targets and goals."

Chairman

Committee chairman Edward Leigh said that "locking up these offenders is only part of the answer".

"I am concerned that the proportion of young offenders given custodial sentences varies significantly across the country," he added.

"The Youth Justice Board needs to work closely with the courts to ensure there is sufficient space in custody on the one hand and to improve the courts' confidence in community sentences on the other.

"Young offenders need effective education and training, and the Youth Justice Board needs to look again at how well some custodial establishments provide this for those on short sentences.

"The board also needs to do more to make community sentences like the new intensive supervision and surveillance programme credible; at the moment over half the offenders on the programme fail to complete it."