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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.10
Publication Date: October 25, 2020
DOI:10.14738/assrj.710.9285.
Mwanza, M. M., Mwaeke, P., & Omboto, J. (2020). Family Factors Influencing The Development Of Juvenile Delinquency Among Pupils
In Kabete Rehabilitation School In Nairobi County, Kenya. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(10) 531-545.
Family Factors Influencing The Development Of Juvenile
Delinquency Among Pupils In Kabete Rehabilitation School In
Nairobi County, Kenya
Martin Mwaka Mwanza
Department of Peace Security and Social Sciences
Egerton University, Kenya.
Panuel Mwaeke
Department of Peace Security and Social Sciences
Egerton University, Kenya.
John Omboto
Department of Peace Security and Social Sciences
Egerton University, Kenya.
ABSTRACT
This paper uses data collected for an MA Thesis on the family factors
influencing the development of juvenile delinquency among pupils in
Kabete Rehabilitation School in Nairobi County, Kenya. This study has
been necessitated by continued concern among policymakers,
practitioners, citizens, and researchers about the rising cases of juvenile
delinquency in Nairobi County. Although there had been speculations
that family factors sit at the core of the trigger factors, there has never
been a detailed and systematic inquiry and analysis of this problem. The
study was guided by several specific objectives; the first objective
examined the range of family factors that influenced the development of
juvenile delinquency among pupils in Kabete Rehabilitation School in
Nairobi County, Kenya while the second objective examined how family
types influenced the development of juvenile delinquency among pupils
in Kabete Rehabilitation School in Nairobi County, Kenya. Last but not
least, the study assessed the multiplier effects of juvenile delinquency
among pupils in Kabete Rehabilitation School in Nairobi County, Kenya.
The study adopted a qualitative case study research design and
purposive sampling technique. A sample size of 60 respondents who
comprised of 30 parents, 24 pupils, 4 teachers and 2 administrators was
adopted. The collected data was analyzed thematically and presented in
verbatim quotes. The study revealed a relationship between family
factors, family types and development of delinquency among juveniles.
Family attachment and family conflict are risk factors for delinquency.
Further, this study established that not all children follow the same road
to delinquency; different life-experience combinations will produce
different delinquent activity. For instance, positive parenting
behaviours in the early years and later in adolescence tend to serve as
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 9, September-2020
barriers mitigating juvenile activity and encouraging teenagers who are
already involved in criminal conduct to refrain from more crime. In
matters policy, this study recommends interventions with the help of
other social institutions such as religion and others that have a direct
bearing on children growth and development like the government
children departments to deeply engage in altering parenting practices
aiming to promote better socialization of the child and also reduce
engagement in negative outcomes such as delinquency. The government
may consider starting up free family counseling clinics and
rehabilitation centers to address or counter any social and behavioural
defects that result from inadequate parenting such as delinquency.
Key words: Development of Juvenile Delinquency, Family Factors, Multiplier
effects.
INTRODUCTION
According to Knoll and Sickmund [2012], juvenile delinquency has become a matter of global
concern. This view is increasingly being exacerbated by daily public discourse and news accounts
of crimes committed by juveniles’ that fuel the belief that young people are increasingly becoming
uncontrollable [Shoemaker, 2017]. A juvenile is an individual below the expected age of ordinary
criminal prosecution which in most cases is 18 years [Burfeind & Bartusch, 2015]. Whereas there
have been perceptions that parents of young people are often to be blamed for the delinquent
behaviour of their children, the choices juveniles make cannot be adequately understood without
considering the social context within which they live and act (family) [Hirschi, 2017].
According to Rwengo [2017], several factors have led to the spiral of juvenile delinquency across
the globe. Some of these factors include unstable families, stress in familial situations, effects of
irresponsible media, urban culture, economic stress, abusive homes among others. Statistical data
indicate that more juveniles’ males than females are caught up in crime [Ndugwa, Kabiru, Cleland,
Beguy, Egondi, Zulu & Jessor, 2004]. It may be that more juveniles are being processed through the
criminal justice system rather than actually committing more types of crimes but all the same they
have experienced increased interaction with the system therefore creating more problems for
schools, parents and communities [Shoemaker, 2017]. Wright and Wright [1994] argue that families
are one of the strongest socializing forces in life since they teach children to control bad behaviour,
to delay gratification and to respect the rights of others. Conversely, families can potentially teach
children aggressive, antisocial and violent behaviour (Shoemaker, 2017). Accordingly, Melgosa
[2002] contends that alcoholic parents, or parents with criminal behaviour and parents with
discipline systems that are strict, too lax or inconsistent, broken homes or those with problematic
relationships may tend to replicate delinquent behaviour in children. Wright and Wright [1994],
indicate that the family environment influences an adolescent interpersonal style, which in turn
influences peer group selection.
Statistics have it that there is an increase in cases of juvenile arrest across the globe. According to
Loeber, Farrington and Petechuk [2003], for instance, the number of children brought before the
courts in the US between 1990 and 2000 increased by a third. With increased arrests of juveniles
worldwide, the trend globally has been to stem the tide of increased juvenile crime by holding
parents responsible for the actions of their children and developing education models designed to
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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.710.9285 533
Mwanza, M. M., Mwaeke, P., & Omboto, J. (2020). Family Factors Influencing The Development Of Juvenile Delinquency Among Pupils In Kabete
Rehabilitation School In Nairobi County, Kenya. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(10) 531-545.
counter deviant juvenile behaviour. Once arrested, juveniles who commit violent crimes are more
likely to re-offend. As it has been established through this study, this pattern is a cause for concern
because these children are likely to grow and became adult offenders.
Like elsewhere in the world, in Kenya, the family remains one of the most important social
dimensions of understanding juvenile delinquency. In many homes and schools, parents and
teachers have to deal with undisciplined children [Mboya, Hezborn, & Manson, 2017]. According to
the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics [2015], in 2014, a total of 109,629 people were sentenced
to prison which was a 41.6 % increase between 2010 and 2014. Prison inmates aged 26 years and
below constituted about half of the total prison population. The number of inmates below 18 years
was recorded at 2570 in 2013 and 3455 in 2014 (1.1 % of the total prison population in 2013 and
1.4 % in 2014). Following these statistics, juvenile delinquency has been believed to have multiplier
effect on Kenya schools prompting the minister of education to form a taskforce in July 2016 to
examine the causes as well as remedies to mass indiscipline and unrests among secondary school
students. According to the ministry of education, in 2016 more than 120 high schools throughout
the country were set ablaze amid a government crackdown on cheating in national exams. Property
worth millions of shillings was destroyed by these fires which were caused by students. Teen suicide
has been witnessed in Kenya. Teen pregnancy has skyrocketed. Casual drug use among teens has
jumped nearly fifty percent over the last four years alone [Aloka, & Bojuwoye, 2014].
According to Oywa [2004], there is congestion in confinement facilities such as juvenile remand
homes and rehabilitation institutions showing that the number of delinquent cases is also quite
high. In light of the aforementioned, it is crystal-clear that juvenile delinquency is a major concern
in Kenya. The fact that juvenile delinquency is increasing day in day out in Kenya confirms that there
are some factors influencing the same. In fact, it is influenced by multiple factors which may be
interrelated or acting individually to influence the same. Even though it is evident that there are
some studies that have been done to investigate the issue of juvenile delinquency in Kenya, there is
little that has been done to determine family factors influencing the development of juvenile
delinquency among pupils in rehabilitation centres or schools such as Kabete Rehabilitation School
hence the need for more studies.
According to the Children’s Act [2001], the Kenyan government shall establish rehabilitation
schools to provide accommodation and care for children. This Act also advocates for the provision
of parental responsibility, custody, fostering, maintenance, adoption, guardianship as well as care
and protection. It is through this Act, that the government of Kenya continues to establish more
rehabilitation facilities to support the juvenile delinquents. Statistics have it that rehabilitation
schools for juvenile delinquents, therefore, have so far played both welfare and rehabilitative roles
in Kenya. Arguably, children who violate the law are also in need of care and protection just like
other children of their age [Nduati, 2017]. On the other hand, those who commit murder are charged
in High Court. Thereafter, these children are committed to rehabilitation schools by courts for a
minimum period of six months and a maximum period of 3 years according to section 53 of the
Children Act [2001]. The Act also makes provision for the administration of children institutions
and gives effect to the principles of the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the African Charter
on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and other related purposes.