This paper will establish the case that an adequately resourced youth service, able to adopt a range of approaches, is of inherent benefit to society.  Youth work is able to offer positive experiences which address the needs and aspirations of young people and enable them to develop as responsible citizens, able to make positive contributions to their communities.

Whilst the primary purpose of youth work has never been crime prevention it has an important contribution to make to this process.  This paper will refer to recent report from the Princes Trust, based on research undertaken by Coopers and Lybrand, which demonstrates the relationship between youth work and youth crime prevention. (Coopers and Lybrand: ‘Preventative Strategy for Young People in Trouble’ 1994)