It is true that ex-prisoners can become normal, productive members of society. I completely agree with the idea that allowing such individuals speak to youngsters about their experiences is the best way to discourage them from breaking the law. In my opinion, childrean are likely to accept advice from someone who can speak from experience. Reformed offenders can tell young about how they became involved in crime, the dangers of a criminal lifestyle, and what life in prison is really like. They can also dispel any ideas that teenagers may have about criminals leading glamorous lives. While adolescents are often indifferent to the guidance given by older people, I imagine that most of them would be extremely keen to hear the stories of an ex¬offender. The vivid and perhaps shocking nature of these stories is likely to have a powerful impact. The alternatives to using reformed criminals to educate teenagers about crime would be much less effective. One option would...