Crime does pay, say teenagers

About half of youngsters believe that crime does pay, according to a new report.

Four in 10 teenagers believe the material benefits of crime outweigh the possible consequences, even a jail sentence - and in socially deprived areas such as Hackney the figure increases to 60 per cent. More than 80 per cent of children interviewed said they knew someone who had been involved in crime. In Hackney, one in three had experience of gun crime.

Mobile phone theft was most common in the South-East and in London, where 40 per cent of teens have had their phones stolen.

The study was carried out by Norwich Union and the crime reduction organisation Crime Concern.

It found that teenagers viewed their parents and relatives as much stronger role models than sporting or music stars. Nearly half of teens from socially deprived areas named their mother as the person they most respect, compared with only two per cent who named their father.

Nearly four out of five believe that people aged over 40 are out of touch with teenagers.