Prolific offenders are to get one-to-one mentoring in a £7.7 million scheme to cut crime.
Six projects will get a share of the money over two years.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "Without the right support, those leaving prison will often end up back behind bars.
"We need to break that cycle so offenders make a more meaningful contribution to society, enter a life free of crime and stop our communities suffering from the impact of their repeat offending."
Prolific male offenders and women deemed at risk of re-offending will be offered support by about 130 mentors. They will help with access to public services and encourage offenders to comply with court orders and community sentences.
The investment from the "reoffending change" fund includes £2.6m for a partnership of voluntary and public organisations, led by community safety organisation Sacro, to work with female offenders. A further £2.9m will go to a partnership led by social enterprise business the Wise Group to mentor male offenders.
The other funded schemes are Action for Children and Barnardo's in East Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Highland; Includem in Glasgow; Tayside Council on Alcohol; and Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire.
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: "Simply throwing money at a mentor scheme is not what is needed to reduce ludicrously high rates of reoffending in Scotland."
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