More than half the population believe UK children are "feral" and behave like animals, a survey has suggested, BBC reported.
Half of the 2,021 adults interviewed by YouGov for the poll also felt children should be regarded as "dangerous".
Children's charity Barnardo's, which commissioned the study, said society "casually condemned" children.
It is behind a controversial awareness campaign, with TV and internet adverts showing adults hunting "vermin", which turn out to be children.
The adverts, intended to show how society demonises young people, will be launched on 24 November.
Some 54% of the adults questioned thought that British children behaved like "animals".
More than a third of those surveyed also agreed that the streets were "infested" with children, while 43% said something had to be done to protect adults.
Around 49% said they disagreed with the statement that children who "get into trouble" were "misunderstood" and needed professional help.
The charity also examined comments left on stories published on the website of several national newspapers.
Staff found messages where children were described as "feral" and some suggestions teenagers should be "shot".
The charity's chief executive Martin Narey said the British population was guilty of labelling all children in the same way.
He said: "It is appalling that words like animal, feral and vermin are used daily in reference to children.
"Despite the fact that most children are not troublesome there is still a perception that today's young people are a more unruly, criminal lot than ever before.
"The British public overestimates, by a factor of four, the amount of crime committed by young people.
"The real crime is that this sort of talk and attitude does nothing to help those young people who are difficult, unruly or badly behaved to change their ways."