Youth as Trouble

TV - Belle Dingle from Emmerdale: Belle is depicted as a troublesome youth. She was sent to a youth detention centre after accidentally killing her best friend, Gemma. During an argument, Belle pushed Gemma who fell and hit her head on a rock, she died days later in hospital from brain damage. Before the conflict, Belle was extremely troublesome, ranging from underage drinking to maliciously spreading personal information. After her time in the detention centre, Belle continued to cause trouble. She broke into a and stole an old lady's pension and caused chaos and mess in the village's local shop. However, her startling behaviour is due to a mental illness which she developed as a side effect of her guilt over her best friend's murder. The boy pictured with her, Lachlan, is also a troublesome youth. He purchases 'illegal highs' online and follows Belle around the village, secretly taking photos of her.

Media, Newspapers - DAD AT 13: The subject of this news story is barely a teenager but is already a father to a young child. This depicts youth as completely irresponsible and careless with no regards and thought for anybody else. The situation of a person as young as 13 years old having a child is completely inappropriate and paints a negative portrait of modern youth. 

Media, Newspapers - Teenage party mob clashes with police: This portrays youth as fighting and ignorant against authority. They are seen as disobedient and unwilling to cooperate with those who enforce the law. Plus, they are also highlighted to be unruly and have to be controlled and made aware of their limitations by the police.

TV - Misfits: Misfits follows five delinquents on community service who are caught outside during a supernatural thunder storm and who acquire special abilities. Sub plots in the series reveal perhaps why the youths are troubled, as some of them have unhappy home lives. The characters come into conflict with older figures, such as their probation officer. The fact that the young characters were completing community service in the first place suggests that they were troublesome and not law - abiding.

Film - Harry Brown: The film stars Michael Caine as Harry, an elderly man living in a council estate that is ruled by violent gangs. The gangs all consist of youths. Harry kills several gang members in self defence, after finding out that the gang killed his best friend, Len. The gangs openly deal drugs, and Harry even witnesses a youth sexually abusing a young girl who has overdosed. The film depicts youth as violent and aggressive, murdering to intimidate and engaging in other criminal activity to assert power and dominance.

Media - Newspaper, British youths are 'the most unpleasant and violent in the world': Damning verdict of writer as globe reacts to riots: The writer making this statement is placing the whole blame of the damage caused in the London riots solely on the British youth. This headline encapsulates the media's portrayal and attitude toward British youth, as many elements of the media portray them as 'unpleasant' and 'violent'..