The Italian media's latest scapegoat: Youth and urban insecurity, especially in Siena and Catania

This thesis examines recent appeals to 'community' which aim to improve crime prevention and urban quality of life. What follows is a comparison of the quality of life in Siena and Catania, the first and last-ranked cities in the 2006 Il Sole 24 Ore study. The media's role in advancing the 'fear of crime' and the 'blaming' of the Italian youth minority are of particular interest. Sensationalistic criminality coverage, coupled with the low birth rate, nourishes a unique youth perspective on 'fear of crime.' Juvenile crime levels remain relatively constant and the birth rate continues to drop. A higher percentage of the youth population is involved in crime. The percentages are misleading and, when emphasized by the media, reinforce the youth's 'urban insecurity.' It is improbable that Italian youth, having been bombarded by the media's propaganda, will arrive at the opposite conclusion supported by this thesis.