The article sketches the main theoretical approaches that account for the phenomenon of youth extremism. It compares the theoretical description of the causes of extremismto the opinions of specialists in its prevention in the educational environment. It explores the limited nature of perceptions that a leading role is played by ideology in the formation of extremist behavior and emphasizes the inadequate effectiveness of preventive measures that consist solely of cultural and educational measures. A number of directions of preventive work in educational organizations are proposed.