Crime · Problem and solution · Band 7.5
The Causes of Youth Crime
The question, a model answer written to the band 7.5 descriptors, why it scores that band against the 4 official criteria, topic vocabulary, and a common mistake to avoid.
Problem and solution
In many cities, the number of young people involved in criminal activity has increased in recent years. What are the main causes of youth crime, and what measures could be taken to reduce it? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
Model answer (band 7.5)
Written to the band 7.5 descriptors, not by a real examiner. Read it for structure and language, then write your own in your own words. Examiners can tell a memorised essay from an original one.
Rising youth crime in many cities reflects a combination of economic and social pressures rather than any single cause, and effective solutions need to address these underlying conditions rather than focusing solely on punishment after the fact.
A primary cause is the lack of accessible, meaningful opportunities for young people in disadvantaged areas, where limited access to quality education and legitimate employment can make criminal activity appear, in practical terms, one of the few available paths to income or status among peers. A second significant cause is the breakdown of consistent adult supervision, whether through family instability, overstretched social services, or the simple absence of structured after-school activities, leaving young people with unsupervised time during precisely the hours when opportunistic crime is most likely to occur.
Addressing the opportunity gap requires sustained investment in schools and vocational training specifically targeted at disadvantaged neighbourhoods, alongside genuine employment pathways for young people once they finish education, since opportunity without a realistic route to employment achieves little on its own. Addressing the supervision gap means funding accessible after-school and community programmes, such as sports clubs or mentoring schemes, that give young people a structured, positive use of their time alongside consistent adult role models, something that has shown measurable results in reducing youth offending in several cities that have invested seriously in such programmes over sustained periods rather than as short-term pilots.
In conclusion, youth crime stems largely from limited opportunity and inconsistent supervision, and reducing it requires sustained investment in education, employment pathways, and structured community programmes rather than punitive measures alone.
Why this answer scores band 7.5
Mapped to the 4 official IELTS Writing criteria.
- Task Response: identifies two distinct, well-explained causes and matches each with a specific, realistic solution rather than one generic recommendation.
- Coherence and Cohesion: explicit cause-solution pairing with clear sequencing markers ('A second significant cause') that keep the argument easy to follow.
- Lexical Resource: precise vocabulary ('opportunity gap', 'mentoring scheme', 'structured supervision') used accurately and with genuine topic command.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: long, well-controlled sentences with multiple subordinate clauses demonstrate sustained grammatical range throughout.
Useful vocabulary & collocations
Phrases used in the model answer that lift Lexical Resource naturally.
Common mistake on this type of question
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