HCIBS ALERT: 'Youth' vs 'Youths'

This is what I've been trying to explain in class...below are an extract from the dictionary and a page from the Cambridge examination report....

YOUTH (noun):
1) state of being young
e.g. Drink from that magical fountain, and you will have eternal youth.

2) a young person, usually male and used in a derogatory sense (i.e. negative connotation)
e.g. Two youths were caught fighting in the back alley over a staring incident.

3) the group of young people of a country as a whole; includes both males and females; usually need the determiner 'the' in front
e.g. The president encourages the youth of the nation to strive for progress.

So be careful when you want to use the word 'youth(s)'.....chances are, you are actually referring to 'young people'. So when in doubt, esp in your academic writing, just use 'young people' as it is neutral.
Avoid the term 'youngsters' as well, as it is a slang, and I believe it usually carries a similar negative connotation.