Reoffending rates in Wandsworth by serious offenders have dropped by more than a third in just six months.
The Integrated Offender Management Team (IOM) supervise the 54 most prolific offenders in the borough and work in close partnership with police and drug agencies to reduce reoffending rates and maintain public safety.
When the IOM began a year ago the borough's cohort of offenders re-offended 14 times over the first six months, yet over the last six months just nine have occurred a drop of 34 per cent.
One of the most problematic issues the IOM team deal with are burglars and shoplifters who regularly reoffend, largely in order to fund drug use.
In order to deal with this, one of the most effective strategies has seen current and ex-offenders is working with Wandsworth Probation's peer-to-peer mentoring scheme.
Last week Tooting MP and shadow justice minister Sadiq Khan visited the Wandsworth Probation team to see how they help offenders get their lives back on track.
He said: "Seeing first hand the work of the local probation service helps you appreciate their contribution to keeping our communities safe.
"Skilled probation officers do face-to-face contact, work with police, the local authority and local charities and voluntary groups."
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