Incidence of Juvenile Delinquency Among Female Secondary School Students (a Case Study of Benin City)
CHAPTER ONE
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study is to determine the prevalent delinquent behaviours among female secondary school students – in relation to social economic factors and religion factors and to determine the factors influencing them.
The specific objectives of the study are:
- To determine whether socio-economic status of the parents influence juvenile delinquency of female students.
- To determine whether religious affiliation influences delinquent behaviours.
- To determine whether living environment influence delinquency of female student.
- To determine whether family background influence the behavior of female juvenile delinquents.
- To prevent juvenile delinquency/prefer solutions to the problem of juvenile delinquency among females.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Theories of causation: many theories have been advanced to explain the course of juvenile delinquency. Some are quite sophisticated, where as others are predicated on rather basic “instinctive’ conclusions that may or may not have a basic infact many juvenile curfews are based on an instinctive conclusion that youths are likely to be victimized or get into trouble after certain hours. For example, in August 1994 the town of Vernon, consentient, enacted, its first juvenile curfew law. If forbade person under 18 to be in any public place or business. The rational was that town leaders had noticed groups of juveniles loitering in town, and prior to the law a teenager had been murdered. Surveys also indicated that youths were fearful about gangs, weapons and victimization.
According to leaders, the curfew was passed for the protection of young people and to reduce the incidence of delinquency. Juvenile engage in criminal deviance. Is such behavior a matter of individual choice? Can our understanding of biological and psychology explain delinquency? To what extent do environment factors influence juvenile deviance? Historically, professionals have proposed a number of factors that theoretically explain delinquent behavior. Each theory represents the height of scientific understanding in each era. This is important, because policies derived from these theories have not only sought to locate juvenile offenders but have also tried to manage the root causes of their behavior.
Models from ancient explanations through the modern era – are discussed. Models developed during ancient and medieval eras will seen quite ridiculous from our modern vantage point, largely because many of them were based on little more than superstition and quasi science (nearby scientific, but not quite) similarly many models developed during the modern era have reflected scientific and ideological biases of the time-all of which were accepted as “rational’ explanations by contemporary experts. Nevertheless, if we are to understand present theory we must investigate contemporary contexts and the past.
- Physical Qualities and Causation: Biological theories
- The Mind and Causation: Physical theories
- Society and Causation: Sociological theories
- The impact of Injustice: Critical theory
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
The outcome of an empirical work is largely valid and reliable to the extent that its methods and tools are analyzable. This chapter examines the methods and procedures employed in data collection for the present study, the problems and limiting factors anticipated in the process and the statistical tools used for evaluating the data collected.
RESEARCH DESIGN
A survey research design will be adopted to enhance the quality of data collection and analysis.
POPULATION OF STUDY
The population of this study comprises of all female students in secondary schools in Benin City.
Sample Size – This comprise of four secondary schools which are: Anglican Girls Grammar School, Idia College, Federal Government Girls College and Hope Alive group of School. 50 respondents from each of these school comprise the sample size of this study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS
This chapter is an attempt to construct a frequency table through which juvenile delinquency among female students in Benin City could be ascertained. The data was gathered from the respondents among four secondary schools in Benin City. In the course of field work only the female students in the secondary school were interviewed based on structured questionnaire prepared by the researcher, it is based on this that the analysis is done.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
This research has attempted to throw more light on the concept of female involvement in juvenile delinquency and various certain social class characteristics. This was done in an effort to identify certain social class conditions and the social structural variables that encourage delinquency in female children.
Four schools in Benin City which comprise of two public and two private schools were used to provide the empirical data for the analysis.
The literature review covered the causation of juvenile delinquency, nature, trend, suggestion on how to curs unacceptable behaviours of juvenile in society theoretical framework.
FINDINGS
The major objectives were achieved by the findings of the study. It was found that secondary school female students are involved in delinquent behaviours. The research revealed that factors such as status, environment, religious, family background, the kind of school one attends, the religious believe of one’s parents have influence on children’s behavior.
The following hypothesis were drawn:
- Female involvement in juvenile delinquency is influenced by the status of parents
- Female involvement in juvenile delinquency is influenced by the size of family
- Female involvement in juvenile delinquency is influenced by the environment they live.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Based on the findings outlined above, the researcher wished to make recommendations.
First of all, it was evident that there is moral laxity in the lower class schools as was observed by the researcher when he visited the schools. In this regard, it is recommended that the people concerned with discipline in these school should seat up so as to curb the excess of young students. Secondly, parents should have time for their children and the friends they keep.
Thirdly, government should try and control the films and home video that are shown on our television screens. Finally, parents should set good example to their children. This will go a long way to checking juvenile delinquency in our society.
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