The mainstream media coverage of the cases and the frequent portrayal of young people terrorizing people suggests that young people are becoming criminalized (Morrow, 2008). The image portrayed by young people out there appears to be under public perception and the threat matters especially because government policies and agendas are shaped by the attitudes and concerns of the general public (Wilson et al, 2006). This review of the literature on public perceptions of youth crime and young offenders attempts to establish the facts by asking the following two questions: 1) Has there been a change in levels of youth crime in recent years? 2). Do public perceptions of youth crime correspond to actual levels of crime among young people? Research Methodology A combination of qualitative and quantitative research study methods was employed where a questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face interview with selected participants (Schissel, 2007). A sample of 200 participants was targeted for the research study (Nacro, 2006). A 10% to 20% validation exercise was carried out to ensure the integrity of the data/information collected and, following completion, the questionnaires were edited for consistency and completeness before being processed (Winterdyk, 2000). The processed information was analyzed by the following demographic data: • Age groups