AS a part time writer myself I understand the journalistic perspective behind the headline and story detailing the conviction of a 15-year-old Highworth boy to six months imprisonment in a young offenders' institute.

However as a resident of Highworth and a local youth worker I also found the headline "Thank God" and style that the story was communicated, in judgmental and offensive.

The story does not talk about the hundreds of people across Swindon who work every day to help and rehabilitate young offenders such as this boy and the hundreds of cases with whom these workers have succeeded.

It doesn't talk about the lack of facilities and activities for young people in Highworth.

It doesn't talk about the life circumstances some of these young offenders have to face, such as absent parents, abuse and drug problems.

When you balance these things up; their offensive and sometimes frightening behaviour doesn't seem so out of place.

I will not be "thanking God" that a 15-year-old boy is in a cell, rather than taking his GCSEs and enjoying his life. Instead I feel sad that somewhere along the line, something went wrong for this boy and he chose to behave in the way that he did.

I am not saying that he should not be punished for the crimes he committed and I have no problem with the sentence he was given.

However, instead of locking him up and throwing away the key, judging him when we really know very little about his life, should not we be supporting him and encouraging him to make positive changes in his life?

Jo Dolby

Highworth