Research launched today shows two thirds (64 per cent) of adults in Britain overestimate the number of young people involved in crime. Furthermore, one in 10 of the adults questioned over-estimated youth crime by a staggering eight times, effectively labelling two in every five teenagers a criminal. In reality just 5.7 per cent of young people are involved in crime.

Commissioned by the national charity Catch22 on behalf of The Philip Lawrence Awards, the research results show a stark contrast between how the public perceives young people and the real contribution young people make. The research found that 40 per cent of British adults thought teenagers had a predominantly negative impact on their community. Only 7 per cent associated young people with volunteering. Yet the latest figures show just under half of all teenagers (48 per cent) have volunteered in their communities.

The research was launched with a call on the British public to buck the negative trend and nominate young people in their community for The Philip Lawrence Awards. The Awards aim to celebrate young people and highlight the outstanding contribution they make in their communities, with the aim of overturning the negative perception wherein all young people are condemned by the actions of a few.

Joyce Moseley, Chief Executive of Catch22, says: “We must not fall into demonising young people. Young people do not all wield knives and commit crime - many do far more to improve their communities than any other age group.

“It’s really important that we celebrate and reward the good work young people are doing up and down the UK. If all young people ever hear from adults is that they are lazy, dangerous and have no moral values, what is to stop them living up to those expectations.”

Frances Lawrence says: “There seems to be a widespread and deeply engrained notion that young people are responsible for much of what is wrong in our communities. As if trouble and youth are inseparable. Such an attitude is not only hurtful for young people but unhealthy for society as it makes people overly fearful. The Philip Lawrence Awards work from the premise that every young person can achieve great things if only they are given the chance, if they feel that they are being valued and supported, challenged not patronised. Then the possibilities for good are endless.”

The awards are managed by leading young people’s charity Catch22, funded by the Home Office and the Department for Children Schools and Families.

Alan Campbell, Home Office Minister, says:“We know that the vast majority of young people are honest, law abiding and make a positive contribution to their communities. Sadly though, as this research shows, their reputation is still being tarnished by the small minority who do commit crime and antisocial behaviour. I am delighted to support the Philip Lawrence Awards which helps combat these misconceptions.

“We are working hard to tackle both the negative perceptions of young people and the few who do commit crime through our £100million Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP), which celebrated its first anniversary in July. We have rolled out a number of schemes under YCAP including Operation Staysafe which picks up young people who are on the streets late at night and takes them to a place of safety, followed-up by further help and support where needed.”

Diana Johnson, Schools Minister says: “Young people are sometimes given a hard time by the general public and the media but we know that the vast majority of them play an active, positive role in their communities - a higher percentage of young people volunteer than in any other age group.

“The Philip Lawrence awards give communities the opportunity to celebrate young people’s achievements and recognise all the positive contributions they make to society. We are always looking for ways of involving young people in community decisions and we are giving them a big say in new local youth facilities because we recognise this means they are far more likely to get involved in positive activities, rather than in anti-social behaviour.”