The Scottish Executive wants to spend as much time on promoting good behaviour among young people as it does on getting tough with those who break the law, the new justice secretary has announced.
Kenny MacAskill made his comments after visiting the Kicks n' Tricks project in Glasgow, which uses street football to divert young people away from trouble.
The previous, Labour-led administration made cracking down on anti-social behaviour one of its key priorities and introduced a range of sanctions for youngsters who stepped out of line.
But Mr MacAskill said that while the new SNP Executive was also keen to tackle bad behaviour, it also wanted to go further in encouraging young people to avoid breaking the law in the first place.
He said: "Young people across Scotland make a vital contribution to the life of our communities - and we need to help more of them do that more often.
"This government shares their ambitions to enjoy life and make the most of their opportunities. We want them to realise their hopes for the future - not become the focus of fear in crime-ridden communities.
"Clearly that means coming down hard on the offending behaviour of the small minority who disrupt communities.
"But cracking down on the minority will not work in isolation. We also need to do more to support and encourage youngsters with facilities, services, and initiatives that give them something better to do, whether sport, drama or other arts."
The Kicks n' Tricks scheme, along with the Cre8 mobile internet service, is co-ordinated by a police officer working within the Glasgow South West Regeneration Agency (GSWRA) in partnership with Rangers Football Club.
It visits areas of high deprivation, where antisocial behaviour is most common, and provides youngsters with educational, social and recreational opportunities.
Mr MacAskill was also last night visiting the Jack Kane Sports Centre in Edinburgh, which is one of the venues for the city's award-winning Open All Hours programme of activities for young people.
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