Young people at risk of offending have low levels of educational ambition and come from areas with high youth populations and high levels of anti-social behaviour, according to a Department of Justice report.
The report, an in-depth profile of participants on Garda youth diversion projects, shows that unemployment, social welfare dependency and early school-leaving are above average in the areas in which the projects are located.
More than half of the young people surveyed reported having drunk alcohol. Similar proportions said that they had skipped school at least once, and had stolen from a shop.
The report found a strong correlation between anti-social behaviour by young people and that of their peers, with about 56 per cent reporting that someone close to them had been in trouble with the Garda.
Just over half wished to complete their Leaving Cert. Almost three-quarters of girls wished to go to third level, compared to only 28.5 per cent of boys.
Fewer than 10 per cent cited their father as the most important person in their life. Researchers believe this may indicate the lack of a significant male in the youths' lives.
Youth diversion projects, which started in 1991, target young people at risk of involvement in crime or drugs and aim to engage teenagers in activities which will bring them into the labour force.
The number of projects has increased from 12 in 1997 to 64 now. The annual budget is about €6 million. The Department commissioned the report from the Centre for Social and Educational Research at the Dublin Institute of Technology.
