Teenagers believe that ‘crime pays’
A new survey published today has found that crime is paying for Britain’s teenagers.
A study by Norwich Union into young people’s experiences of crime showed that half think that crime does in fact pay, although four in five are worried about becoming a victim of crime themselves.
It also found that the material benefits of crime outweigh the prospect of the consequences for many teens – even if it means time in prison.
The study looked at young people aged between 13 and 19. A third of these accepted that crime is part of their society and 40% admitted to knowing someone who has committed a crime. This figure doubled to 80% in socially deprived parts of Britain.
Gun crime, drug dealing and assault were considered the most serious offences, while vandalism, shoplifting and mobile phone theft were seen as the least severe.
The survey also found that 85% of teenagers believe that crime is getting worse, while 94% of young people from deprived areas have been victims or know victims of crime.
Jill Willis, market development manager for Norwich Union Insurance, commented: ‘Teenagers are often easy targets for people attempting to explain the rise in crime and often dismissed as the problem with society rather than seen as part of the solution.’
Norwich Union is using the results of the survey to form a partnership with the national crime reduction organisation, Crime Concern. The partnership has launched the Norwich Union Apprenticeship Scheme, which aims to tackle crime at a grassroots level.
