yesterday is an example of what good can result when members of the community get together to help others. The self-help programme which has evolved around an expanding carpentry shop is designed to give former prison inmates a job and a chance at a fresh start.

The philosophy of the Wood Shop is to provide ex-inmates with work so that they can pay their own way and learn to become productive members of society.

One of the men who is working at the Wood Shop has been quoted as saying: "There is no work for men coming out of prison otherwise. When you tell a person that you were in prison, they don't want to hire you. That's why this is ideal for ex-inmates and I think these guys sitting out here on the wall could be helped by it too.'' Clearly it is true that people coming out of prison have difficulty finding a job. If they cannot keep themselves, then there is every chance that they will simply revert to a lifestyle which took them to prison in the first place.

This kind of revolving door is destructive to the community and extraordinarily expensive to maintain.

Monday's story contained a very apt quote: "When they get out they are on their own again with the same problem plus an added one, they've been in prison.'' "More jail time is not going to stop someone desperate enough from committing a crime.'' We think that is especially true if someone has already been in prison. They are already stigmatised so another term in jail is unlikely to make their situation worse.

As the ex-inmate we quoted said: "I really did not care about anyone or anything at the time. I was thinking I might as well go back to prison.'' Prison, of course, often hardens people and can be a learning situation for criminals. Young people tend to come out of prison angry, tough and much more anti-social than when they went in.

Without the rehabilitation which Westgate was designed to provide, we are simply releasing people who are still a danger to the public and who have little chance of not continuing that danger. That makes no sense.

The Wood Shop Programme, which has been receiving support especially from the business community, is only an example of what can be achieved. We think there could be other practical programmes leading to jobs. Young prisoners should be encouraged toward such areas as cycle and motor repairs where there are jobs available. Boat repair is another area. Train people to paint houses and blinds properly. These are good jobs with good pay.