Aggression and violence are the major problems today’s Russian youth is facing. According to statistics, 120,000 crimes in Russia are committed by minors every year, and official figures show more than 80,000 teenagers across the country have been charged

Modern teenagers view the world through a prism of TV, computer games and films.

Youngsters are dealing with issues of low self-esteem, and if adults are not giving a good example, they fail to learn the difference between right and wrong. And the consequences can be devastating.

Seven-year old Gleb from the Moscow region says he was raped by a group of teenagers.

“Once I came home and found my son and his grandmother in tears. She told me that my little boy is becoming a homosexual. Later I found out that the teenagers were forcing him to perform sexual acts,” says Nina, Gleb’s mother.

Psychologists say it will take at least a year for the boy to recover from a shock.

Specialists dealing with juvenile delinquency say there’s no single cause for teen violence and there is no simple solution.

“We have to blame the family, the school and overall society for the lack of their attention to children and for the low level of education. Youngsters need attention and respect. When they don’t get it, they often turn to violence to express their out-of-control emotions,” says Nadezhda, head of a youth correctional facility.

Many young offenders come from disadvantaged families. But experts say children from well-off families are not immune either.

“Parents don’t spend enough time with children. The media showing violence often becomes their guide. But in the past three years, the level of juvenile delinquency has decreased. This is partly because more organisations dealing with problems of youth are being created in Russia,” says Vitaly Polozyuk from the federal service of execution and punishment.

One of such projects is ‘Amnesty of Soul’ which is run by a youth theatre. The annual festival unites amateur theatre teams from youth correctional centres across Russia.

All of performers come from detention facilities and it's the only event of its kind in the world.

Therapy through theatre works. Some of the convicts have already received parole for good behaviour.

“Our theatre helps these young convicts have a voice. I’m sure all children are talented and we teach them to open their talents. We give hope to those who once lost their feet and show other people that if one has made a mistake, even a serious mistake, it doesn’t mean he or she is no longer acceptable to society,” says the head of the youth theatre Vyacheslav Spesivtsev.

And though most of the actors will be escorted back to prison afterwards, organisers and participants are unanimous in one thing – compassion. A helping hand and artistic expression can help to cure almost any kind of social disease.