Speaking during a seminar on Youth and Crime, organised by the Mikiel Anton Vassalli Foundation, Dr Mangion said that one should study what had led to the current problems before solutions could be

found.

He stressed that teachers should play a big role in this because they should be able to identify what type of students they have under their guidance.

MLP youth, sport and culture spokesman Justyne Caruana said that unemployment and drug abuse were the main cause of the problems society was facing today. She said that the police should be given all the facilities to help them tackle crime.

Dr Caruana suggested that a national programme be set up to deal with all aspects of the teenage years.

MLP justice spokesman Anglu Farrugia said that the crime rate among young people seemed to be on the increase, and asked whether the current legal aid system was good enough.

MLP internal affairs spokesman Gavin Gulia said that not much would be solved by handing out harsher punishments or by making better reform programmes.

The right balance had to be found between the two, and he proposed that criminals should have the chance to attend a rehabilitation programme in a different environment to a prison, before serving time.