An empirical analysis of the risk factors that lead to Juvenile Delinquency among high school.

Abstract

Juvenile Delinquency has become a major issue in Namibia and globally, receiving a considerable amount of attention from the media and politicians, as it is widely believed by criminologists and sociologists alike, that most adult criminals started out as juvenile delinquents. The increasing levels of juvenile delinquency in Namibia, Windhoek in particular have become a matter of national concern. Much of the effort, thus far, has been focused on punishment and correctional measures but little has been done on prevention and intervention. This study attempts to provide an empirical understanding of the risk factors that lead to Juvenile Delinquency in Windhoek. To fully answer the research questions, a mixed method approach comprising qualitative and quantitative methods was carried out. Results show that a significant difference in attitude towards school exists between learners from low and high density areas. A further examination of these results, show that learners tend to uphold delinquency as acceptable. We also note that learners from higher density areas appear to have a negative attitude towards life. Based on these results, we conclude that Juvenile Delinquency among high school learners in Windhoek is a cultural demeanor as the results are similar regardless of respondents’ residential density and location of school. The results of this study will be significant in that they will help policy makers and members of society understand the underlying factors that are likely to lead youths into delinquent behaviour. This in turn will help stakeholders come up with more effective preventive and intervention programs.