I attended the launch of Labels R4 Jars not young people today.
Sadly the press never showed up, despite the fact the launch was held in St Brides Fleet Street.
The campaign is asking for a more factual and positive image to be presented in the media. It seems the media did not want to come and listen to some research which evaluates the accuracy of its recording – a shame.
The research may be downloaded from the FYT website and makes some interesting findings:
adults overestimate crime committed by young people by a factor of 100%
75% adults believe youth crime is rising, when the actual yearly rate is falling
80% people think youth crime is getting worse, however there has been no growth in the level of crime committed by young people
61% said they based their view of young people on what the media portrayed
The press should have been present to hear this – we need to involve ourselves in celebrating the achievements of our young people, in portraying the mass of fantastic stuff the overwhelming majority of young people do.
In case you were wondering … the pic … it’s Bishop Roger Sainsbury in a hoody in a jar!
The Shiny Headed Prophet 
I wish this campaign had been more publicised. I’m beginning to get a little irritated with the constant headlines branding all young people as drunken vandals. The newspaper headlines of late have been far from helpful, telling us that we’re the worst country in Europe. The effect this has is surely to ostracise those young people who are not drunken vandals and to assume that others are, or to encourage others that they should just carry on cos that’s what’s expected? I feel a soapbox moment coming on …. 😉