The relevance of the problem under investigation is due to the high significance of preventive work with juvenile delinquents to society. The article aims to study the problems arising while developing students' competencies in professional activities for the prevention of the infringing behavior of juvenile delinquents, as well as the identification of specific historical and socio-cultural conditioning of the criminalization of youth environment. The leading method to the study of this problem is the analysis and synthesis of experience in teaching students of pedagogical specialties skills for crime prevention and the illegal behavior of juveniles; this method allows us to identify ways to enhance students' learning qualities for this kind of activity. Research results: the methodological approaches for teaching students the skills of preventive work with juveniles delinquencies were developed; the analysis of socio-cultural causes of juvenile delinquency and their effect on the prevention work was carried out; recommendations to improve the effectiveness of pedagogical preventive work with juvenile offenders and specification of features and methods of teaching this kind of activity were formulated. The article can be useful for the practical work of teachers, social workers, law enforcement officers and all those who, one way or another connected with the work on the prevention of crime and the illegal behavior of underage.