Crime against property costs more than �80m a year

It is estimated that one in 12 young people in Scotland have either offended or been the subject of a criminal investigation.

It has been estimated that property crime in Scotland costs the public sector more than �80m a year.

And young criminals account for up to 40% of offences in some categories such as housebreaking and vehicle theft.

The Audit Scotland study will look at the different ways young people charged with an offence are dealt with.

It will examine the way those aged under 16 are handled by children's panels and the time it takes for them to go through the system.

"We back their proposal to dig deeper into certain areas of activity to check whether service delivery is as efficient and effective as it could be

Education Minister Jack McConnell

The audit will also look at the effectiveness of custody in reducing youth crime among the over 16s.

Although the proportion of inmates under 21 in Scotland is lower than the rest of the UK, it is still much higher than in other European countries.

Education Minister Jack McConnell said the report would complement the Scottish Executive's drive against youth crime.

"In the majority of cases it falls to local authorities to deliver the programmes that make young offenders face up to their behaviour and change it," he said.

Victim's perspective

"We back their proposal to dig deeper into certain areas of activity to check whether service delivery is as efficient and effective as it could be.

"The Audit Scotland approach matches our determination to combat youth crime, take account of the victim perspective and make sure programmes that really work are in place."

Scottish National Party justice spokeswoman Roseanna Cunningham said: "A huge number of our young people are coming into contact with the justice system - the vast majority only the once - but there is an increasing minority who commit multiple offences.

Phil Gallie: "Early and meaningful intervention"

"The report tells us that the largest statistical change was in the group termed 'prolific offenders', which has grown by over 40% between 1990 and 2000."

Tory justice spokesman Phil Gallie said offenders had to be dealt with swiftly.

"The cost of youth crime has been estimated at �730m - that is almost as much as the total budget of the Scottish Police Service, and has risen over 20% in the last few years," he said.

"This must be tackled through early and meaningful intervention by the criminal justice system.

"Delaying effective punishment and rehabilitation will do nothing but encourage young hooligans to commit crime with impunity."