Public Perception On Youth Crime

It has been noted that research studies on public perception on young people in criminal activities are not many, those that have carried out such research studies suggest a public perception that criminal activities committed by the youth is on the rise (Munice, 2001). A Calgary survey of 350 residents on crime, for example, found that roughly 40 per cent of its respondents listed youth violence or youth gangs as the primary problem in the city (Collins, 1992). The annual CTV polls show a consistently increasing number of Canadians claiming young people behaviour in their neighbourhoods is getting worse: from 35 per cent in the early 1990 to 80 per cent in 1994 (McDonald, 1995). These surveys also reveal that 80 per cent of Canadians, up

From the numerous research studies that have been carried out in the past, it can be said that there is a tendency for the people to overestimate level of young people with criminal offences, the number of youth, the proportion of crime committed by the youth, and the seriousness of youth crime (Nacro, 2006). Many literature have suggested that the public perception on youth crime is not always based on personal experiences and it has been suggested that public perceptions on youth crime tend to outstrip direct experience of young people crimes (Nayak, 2003). This phenomenon also means that external factors such as mainstream media and newspapers reporting have played a major role in shaping the public perception on youth crime (Newbury, 2008). According to Bateman (2006), there is no correlation between actual prevalence of youth offences and perception of youth behaviour (Nacro, 2006). For instance, people expect more negative perceptions in high-crime locations, as compared to areas where recorded crimes are low (Cohen, Rust and Steen, 2003). As no relationship is apparent, other factor rather than direct experience of ‎ ‎‎‎‎young people crime may be responsible for contributing to a mismatch between the reality of such behaviour and public

Main stream media coverage of cases and the frequent portrayal of the youth terrorising people would suggest that young people are becoming criminalised (Morrow, 2008). The image that is portrayed by young people out there appears to be under public perceptions and threat matter especially as policies and government agendas are shaped by the attitudes and concerns of the general public (Wilson et el, 2006). This review of literature on public perception on youth crime and young offenders attempts to establish the facts by asking the following two questions 1) has there been a change in the levels of youth crime in recent years? 2). Does the public’s perception of youth crime correspond with the actual levels of offending among the young people?

Research Methodology

A combination of qualitative and quantitative research study method was employed where a questionnaire was administered in a face-to face interview with selected participants (Schissel, 2007). A sample of 200 participants was targeted for the research study (Nacro, 2006). There was a 10 per cent to 20 per cent validation exercise to assure the integrity of the data/information that was gathered, and after completion, the questionnaires were edited for consistency and completeness before being processed (Winterdyk, 2000). The processed information was analysed by the following demographics:

• Age groups