Factors Responsible for Juvenile Delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos State
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The priority of this study is to ascertain the factors responsible for juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area. The researcher intend to cover the following sub-objectives in this study:
- To examine the level and causes of juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area.
- To examine how the adolescent’s family background contributes to the causes and levels of delinquency in the area.
- To access the school’s contribution to the causes and levels of truancy and juvenile delinquency in Lagos State.
- To examine the social and society’s contribution to juvenile delinquency in Lagos State.
- To proffer possible solutions to the aforementioned problems and challenges in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Juvenile delinquent and criminal behaviors among young people, as they negotiate the transition from childhood to adulthood in an increasingly complex and confusing world, is the issue that the researcher this chapter intends to review. Juvenile delinquency, also known as “juvenile offending” according to Wikipedia, is participation in illegal behavior by minors (juveniles, i.e. individuals younger than the statutory age of majority). Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers, and courts. A juvenile delinquent in the United States is a person who is typically below 18 (17 in New York, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Texas) years of age and commits an act that otherwise would have been charged as a crime if they were an adult. Depending on the type and severity of the offense committed, it is possible for people under 18 to be charged and treated as adults.
Children from broken homes are more likely to run away from their family than children who come from more stable families (Uwaoma & Udeagha, 2007).Uwaoma and Udeagha further explained that a broken home has an imbalance and as a result is detrimental to a child’s socialization and personality adjustment. The resultant effect is that a child may be more vulnerable to negative peer pressure and may ultimately commit delinquent acts not committed by children from stable families where there is a balanced structure of two parents who act as good role models in the child’s acquiring proper roles (Odebunmi, 2007). Children growing up in unstable families are at a greater risk of experiencing a variety of behavioural and educational problems, including; smoking, drug abuse, vandalism, violence and criminal acts than children from stable families (Sheryln, 2008). According to Sheryln, changes in the family can affect the levels of self-control in children. The transitions in the family structure also lead to changes in the organization, monitoring and disciplining of the children. If the changes are widespread, the resulting changes in the adolescents‟ levels of self-control will likely lead to anti-social behaviors (Mullens, 2004). Single-parent families are often financially vulnerable as compared to two-parent families. This unfortunate economic circumstance can draw these families to disorganized neighborhoods where crime and delinquency are rampant (Alfrey, 2010). The implication according to Alfrey is that the children may be exposed to learning delinquent behaviors and they may also be enticed into joining delinquent gangs. It is the opinion of the researcher that financial vulnerability may also be a source of strain to children in single-parent families. Hence, they may not have some of their needs met by their single parent. The effect is that children in such a situation may be pushed to engage in theft, extortion and other delinquent actions to make ends meet.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine the factors responsible for juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on the study factors responsible for juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area. 200 students of secondary school students were selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
INTRODUCTION
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
INTRODUCTION
It is pertinent to note that this research was to examine the factors responsible for juvenile delinquency. Thus the topic “factors responsible for juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos State”.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges associated with juvenile delinquency in Nigeria.
SUMMARY
From the result of hypothesis one, it can be said that there is a significant relationship between family setting and juvenile delinquency in the area. It is a known fact that the family is the foundation of human society and the most important agent of socialization. It is in the family that children are first taught to eschew unacceptable behavior, to delay gratification and to respect the right of others. Conversely, families can teach children aggressive, anti-social, and violent behaviors. Also, children who are rejected by their parents, who grow up in homes with considerable conflicts, or who are inadequately supervised are at the greatest risk of becoming delinquent. Adolescence is a time of expanding vulnerabilities and opportunities that accompany the widening social and geographical exposure to life beyond the school or family, but it starts with the family. During the past century, significant changes in family arrangements have occurred, modern family structures vary widely. Its form is diversifying with, for example, the increase in one parent families and non-marital unions as well as extended family arrangements. Differing family structures may directly impact on the stability of the family, home and the functioning of children and adolescents. The results of this study agree with the summation of Demuth and Brown (2004), Hoffman and Johnson’s (1998), Derzon and Lipsey 2000; Wasserman and Seracini 2001 , who summations found that levels of juvenile delinquency were much higher in teenagers residing with single fathers and lowest among teenagers who were part of a two-parent household. The study suggest that higher levels of delinquency among children residing with their fathers were mainly due to inadequate parental involvement in a teenager’s life. The result of hypothesis two indicates that, there is a significant relationship between peer influence and juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area. This summation is based on various indicators such as lack of supervision, single parenthood and frequent social gatherings in schools and environment. Finally, the result of hypothesis shows that, peer influence greatly enhances juvenile delinquency. This finding is supported by Cohen (1977), Hirschi (1969), Haskell (1961) who in their respective summation identified peer influence as one of the factors responsible for juvenile delinquency.
CONCLUSION
This study set out to examine the factors responsible for juvenile delinquency in Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos. Nearly all cultures possess a transition phase from childhood into adulthood. Whereas in the past in most industrialized countries, this transition ranged from brief to almost non-existent, it is now a significant part of a person’s development. It is now known as adolescence. In Nigeria today, juvenile delinquency and crime is on the increase posing threats to the safety and security of lives and properties. Under this scenario, scholars are forced question the variables responsible for this ugly trend. Among some of the variables such as the family setting, poverty and peer influence.
Although research has shown that a majority of delinquents come from fragmented families, this study found out that juvenile delinquency is also fostered by inadequate parental monitoring and supervision. Children who are inadequately supervised and poorly socialized, whose parent(s)/guardian(s) do not monitor their movements and activities are more likely to be delinquent. Furthermore, adequate parental supervision and monitoring breeds positive interaction between the parent(s)/guardian(s) and the children which is essential for a healthy child-upbringing. It therefore becomes imperative that parent(s)/guardian(s) should create adequate time for the supervision of their children. Also, familial conflicts have a positive relationship with juvenile delinquency. This means that children who experience conflicts in the forms of fights, quarrels and violence are prone to a delinquent lifestyle. The research therefore concludes that, it is pertinent to note the need for families to rise up to the performance of their primary roles of positive child rearing and socialization and to create a healthy social environment in order to insulate the children from delinquency. View of the integral role the family plays in the socialization and moral grooming of the children.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is certain from the findings of this study that, poverty appears to be the primary cause of juvenile delinquency, the researcher therefore suggest that;
- The government at all levels should step up efforts to improve the economy, as a matter of urgency. This can be done by stemming the tide of unemployment, improving the remuneration of workers, improving infrastructure, creating job opportunities, and empowering the masses in various conceivable ways. This would go a long way to raise the socio-economic condition of most families thus reducing the poverty rate in the country.
- The government at all levels should not only provide free basic education but also take practical steps to ensure that the education they give is truly and completely free, qualitative, and necessarily compulsory. Legislating and effecting punitive measures on education stakeholders that default will enhance success in this direction.
- It is instructive that school administrators should step-up efforts to curb every form of truancy and loitering in and around their respective schools so that students may be disciplined to stay put in schools and pay attention to their lessons.
- Parents and guardians should not neglect their responsibility to provide for members of their family irrespective of whether they are related by blood or by adoption.
- Finally, the family as an agent of socialization should be educated on the psychological effect of broken homes on juvenile’s behavior. The role of juvenile justice institutions should be extended and strengthened to monitor juvenile behaviors in schools.
Reference
- Alemika, E. & Chukuma, I. (2001). Juvenile justice in Nigeria : Philosophy and practice. Lagos: Centre for Law Enforcement Education [2].
- Alfrey, C. (2010). Juvenile Delinquency and family Structure: Implications for marriage and relationship education. Retrieved April 20th, 2010 from http://www.healthymarriageinfo.org/docs/juveniledelinquency.pdf
- Aderinto, A.A. and Okunola, R.A. (1998a), “Push and Sustaining Factors of Child Labor in Nigeria’ Ife Psycho logia: An International Journal”, Vol.6 No. 1. pp. 173-183.
- Akpusugh, M. (1986). Street hawking in a Nigerian city: A critical evaluation of its implication on the school achievement of the child. An unpublished M.Ed. Thesis, University of Jos, Jos.
- Alemika, E. E. O. Chukwuma, I. C. Juvenile Justice Administration In Nigeria: Philosophy and Practice Centre for Law Enforcement Education Lagos, Nigeria
- Amin, A. A. (1994). The Socio-Economic Impact of Child Labour in Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State, Uyo. In Ekpenyong, S. & Sibiri, A. (2011). Street
