Positive images: Young feel policymakers don't respect their ideas

The survey, which was conducted by the British Youth Council and YouthNet, also showed that young people feel they are demonised in the media, and suffer negative stereotyping by politicians.

The study focused on young people's views of antisocial behaviour. The majority condemned bad behaviour, and less than 10 per cent considered they had been responsible for antisocial acts in the past year.

Young people felt these facts were not represented accurately in the media. Rick Lomax, a 17-year-old from Cumbria who sits on YouthNet's Young People's Advisory Group, said: "The media exaggerate young people's antisocial behaviour. And politicians don't respect young views, because they can't vote."

The study, The voice behind the hood, was due to be published yesterday (18 July) at a seminar at the House of Commons hosted by Dawn Butler, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Affairs, and marks the start of a campaign the council and YouthNet are running on the issue of respect. It took into account the views of 747 young people from across the UK.