The Nature and Consequences of Juvenile Delinquency in Nigeria: a Study of Enugu North Lga, Enugu State
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
The objective of this study is as follows:
- To find out the extent why juvenile engage in delinquent acts.
- To ascertain the extent juvenile offenders continue in crime after being punished or sanctioned.
- To find out what Nigerian government need to do in order to improve or educate juvenile about crime.
- To determine the negative impact of crime on individual and society at large.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
An Overview of Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile delinquency as defined by Andy (1960:30) “is any social deviation by a youth from the societal norms which results in his contact with law enforcement agents.” The Nigeria constitution of 1979 defines juvenile delinquency as “a crime committed by a young person under the age of 17 years as a result of trying to comply with the wishes of his peers or to escape from parental pressure or certain emotional stimulation.
The earliest Code of Law (the Code of Hammurabi) took specific note of the duties of children to parents and prescribed punishment for violation. Juvenile delinquency is a behaviour loosely defined as public nuisance which its usual characteristic includes acts that is of anti-social effect. Juvenile delinquency are crimes committed by young ones example rape, prostitution, stealing, burglary, truancy, disobedient, homicide, robbery, kleptomanism etc. And let every other growing social problems it has been subjected to curiosity and serious investigation. Juvenile delinquency is now the biggest single menace to order that is ravaging our society. The above definition of juvenile delinquency is basically supported by the Oxford Dictionary which defines it as law-breaking by young people.
Causes of Juvenile Delinquency in Nigeria
Juvenile delinquency cannot be controlled without at least a reasonable knowledge of its causes. One has to know why the juvenile commit these atrocities to be able to effectively curb the menace. There are reasons which make juvenile go into delinquent acts. As delinquent acts differ in different parts of the world, so also would some of its causes be different. Some common causes of juvenile delinquency in our country (Nigeria) are reviewed below:
Biological Cause
The protagonist of the biological conceptual explains that criminals are predestined towards criminal behaviour by factors such as their biological makeup is the gene which is the carrier of hereditary materials. Apart from the normal xx and xy sex chromosome in man, the xyy configuration was discovered and people with such chromosome complement are said to have behavioural characteristics of violence and aggressiveness. Kratcoski et al. (1979:14) also belong to the school of thought that certain biological factor like body size could trigger the exhibition of criminal behaviour.
Parental Cause
The home is the one of the major factor contributing to juvenile delinquency. As confirmed by Bobby (1951:36) he assert that “firstly we have more and more mothers going to work leaving their children unattended at home or on the street, thereby depriving children at their early age of motherly love and affection.
Onetime head of state also is in support that the home contributes in no small measure. He declared in the Daily Times of July 12, 1977 that, parents have no patience, self control and are not disciplined. He further assert that very irresponsible fathers who always got drunk and too occupied with nocturnal activities would have little or no time for his children neither would the nagging and jealous mother.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study adopted survey design. This procedure can cover a broad area of observation using a selected sample from a fraction of a population to analyse a large population such as Enugu North L.G.A. This research design is applied in this study owing to its viability in using a sample drawn to represent the different elements within Enugu North L.G.A., the universe of this study.
May (2001) argue that the application of a survey method is appropriate in obtaining the behavioural pattern of a given population and the concomitant implication of such behavioural pattern on the people and society at large. Thus, survey design is appropriate in a study of the nature and consequences of juvenile delinquency which seek to understand the negative impact of juvenile delinquency in Nigerian society.
Study Area
The area of study was Enugu North Local Government Area in Enugu State of Nigeria. The local government area, according to the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette (2009), has an area of 106km2 with a population of 244,825 (2006 population and housing census).
Enugu North is located in South-Eastern Nigeria. It is situated at the bottom of the Udi plateau, on the rail road from Port Harcourt, the local government is bounded in the North by Udi and Enugu East, in the South by Enugu South, West by Udi and in the East by Enugu East. The urban owes its geopolitical significance to the discovery of coal in 1909 by a team of British geologists.
Population of the Study
The total population of Enugu State as a whole is 3,257,298 with a population density that is two and a half times the national average. Enugu North Local Government area has an aggregate of 244,825 (2006 population and housing census) officially Gazetted in 2009.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
Out of two hundred and fifty (250) questionnaires distributed, two hundred (200) were completed and returned. This analysis of data is based on the returned questionnaires.
The table above goes to show that out of the 200 respondents, 120 were male and 80 were female, which constituted 60% and 40% respectively. This shows that the data was slightly biased in favour of males, which was coincidental due to the accidental or convenience method used in distribution of questionnaire.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The data collected and analyzed in this study has broadened and created additional useful insights on the nature and consequences of juvenile delinquency in Nigeria and as well provided recommendation which will help terminate or reduce juvenile delinquency in Enugu North Local Government Area.
The aim of this study was to know why juvenile commit or continue committing crime and what to be done inorder to reduce or terminate this menace. It is well known that juveniles commit or continue crime as a result of biological makeup, parental and societal makeup. The study also showed that rape, kleptomanism, burglary, stealing, robbery, truancy, disobedient, homicide and lie are common among juvenile.
Conclusion
This research work conducted on the nature and consequences of juvenile delinquency in Enugu North shown that parents, government and the society in general could help to eradicate this social vice. If all hands are on deck it will be a reality one day. Give the children a sound and moral upbringing and when they grow up they will never deviate from it.
Recommendations
A well organized institution with its collective personnel can initiate necessary changes in the youths conceptions.
The government and voluntary organizations should be involved in fighting these delinquent acts through the following ways:
- Recreational facilities should be provided for our youths.
- Parents should be enlightened on the effects of unmet needs like starvation (food), parental care and affection, etc. on their children to enable them (parents) make adjustment
- Government should provide employment opportunities for youths.
- More social worker’s should be trained and deployed in schools to help in behaviour modification of the children.
- Avenues should be created for complain to the social welfare.
- Parents should adopt a method of positive and negative reinforcement.
- Government should stop pornographic films and some American films where our youths learn techniques in stealing and destruction of properties.
- Government should give greater thought to setting up more amenities in the rural areas.
REFERENCES
- Albert, Cohen (1955). Delinquent Boys. New York: Free Press.
- Andy, R. G. (1960). Delinquency and Paternal Pathology. London: University Press.
- Harlock, A. E. (1967). Child Development. London: McGraw Hill International.
- Simeon, A. (June 30, 1990). Todays’ Youth. Concord.
- Glueck, S. and Glueck, E. T. (1970). Unaveilling Juvenile Delinquency. New York: Macmillan Company.
- Kunle, R. K. (July 13, 1977). Delinquency Acts among Youth. Daily Times.
- Paul, T. (1972). Characteristic and Nature of Juvenile Delinquency. New York: Ronald Press.
- Burt, C. (1925). The Young Delinquency. London: University Press.
- Body, J. (1957). Maternal Care and Mental Health. New York; World Book Company.
