The Study of Youth Crime in Nasarawa
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The following research objectives will be ascertained;
- To find out the causes of crime in Nassarawa among youths
- To find out consequences of crime
- To suggest way of eliminating crime in Nassarawa
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 10 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 11 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.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the study of youth crime in Nasarawa. 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 of the study of youth crime in Nasarawa
Summary
This study was on the study of youth crime in Nasarawa. Three objectives were raised which included; To find out the causes of crime in Nassarawa among youths, to find out consequences of crime and to suggest way of eliminating crime in Nassarawa. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from residents in Nasaraw town. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
This research work conducted on the youth crime in Nasarawa 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.
Recommendation
- 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
References
- Boss P. (1967) Social Policy and the Young Delinquents. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul Limstead. 2.
- Dentler R.A. (1967) Major Social Problems. Chicago: Rand Mc Nally and Company. 3.
- Eckersley R. & Dear, K. 2002, Cultural correlates of youth suicide, Social Science & 4. Medicine, vol. 55, no. 11, pp. 1891-1904. 5.
- Erickson, P.G. (2001) Drugs, Violence and Public Health What Does the Harm Reduction Approach Have to Offer?oldfraser.lexi.net/publications/books/dru
- Maseko, J.S.(2009) Socialisation of children and youth: Role of the home and the school uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2134/02 Chapter2.pdf 7.
- Makokha C.M. (2008) “Factors Influencing Male Delinquents to Commit Capital Offences: A case study of inmates in Kamiti Prison” – Unpublished University of Nairobi MA Project Paper. 8.
- Odegi-Awuondo C. (1993) Introduction to Sociology. Nairobi: Basic Book Limited. John DiIulio, “The Coming of the Super-predators,” Weekly Standard, 27 November 1995, p. 23. On June 28, 2007, the term “super-predator” generated 30,300 Google hits, suggesting its salience. 6.
- See the article by Jeffrey Fagan in this volume. 7. Ibid. During the three years between 1992 and 1995, eleven states lowered the age for transfer, twenty-four states added crimes to automatic/legislative waiver statutes, and ten states added crimes to judicial waiver statutes. See
- Patricia Torbet and others, State Responses to Serious and Violent Juvenile Crime, vol. 6 (Washington: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 1996). 8.
- William Claiborne, “13-Year-Old Convicted in Shooting: Decision to Try Youth as Adult Sparked Juvenile Justice Debate,” Washington Post, 17 November 2001. 9.
