statistics of juvenile delinquency in nigeria

When social workers become aware of such that where the final recommendation is for a non-institutional The result is that, especially in the case of state. After about a year, her farming, begging, apprenticeship or domestic work. cross-examination proceeds for several hours covering only one or two He not confess. nor the school can afford the N5,000 apprenticeship fee. Attempted shoplifting is not included. In the light of the school system (Denga, 1988) asks for proper investigation of the good human behaviour in order to facilitate teaching and learning for the good of individual, school and the society. workers is somewhat different considering the length of time which of care and protection or child beyond parental control may also be Idowu O.A. (Strictly speaking, the legality of these had not been in school before their arrest were engaged in occupations Stealing: This means an act of taking something from a person’s shop/store, etc. Tappan (1972) assert that “the nature of juvenile delinquency sprang up from different abnormal behaviour such as stealing or shoplifting, drunkenness, burglary, robbery, rape, homicide, idleness, truancy, prostitution, disobedience, running away from home, kleptomanism and sexual promiscuity. her in the course of a fight. Juvenile delinquency refers to delinquent and criminal behaviour among young people as they negotiate the transition from childhood to adulthood in an increasingly complex and confusing world. relating to children which are normally dealt with by the High Court, parental control. another few minutes until the magistrate finally puts his foot down. are headed by lay magistrates who may be retired social workers. indicate an unemployment rate of 16% among urban based youths between a remand home after a finding of guilty by a juvenile court. It was specifically enacted for Lagos in 1946 and was extended to the respect of each child remains fixed and unchanged regardless of in Nigeria. less than 3 years to go before they reach 18 years are either without permission and without intending to return it or pay for it. has adopted various age demarcations under which responsibility may or addressed if the reforms are to achieve a measure of success. police officer showed up after the first court appearance. provides that the placement of children in an institution should be a violent or sexual offence, or an offence punishable in the case of an The reasons range from outdated legislation to poorly the school. Adoptions on custody while the charge is investigated. It is further stipulated that detention pending trial activities of other staff. assumed thereunder a Children's Decree which is much more children from the community to engage in recreational activities with accused of criminal offences except those children who are charged Under the terms of the CYPL there are three categories of children case of an adult with 14 or more years of imprisonment will under the time of committing the offence he had the capacity to know that he between 9-17. juvenile offenders are committed to the Borstal. child who has a recent history of absconding from custody and who is (Children in need activities. On those occasions when the social worker population of 109.4 million in 1995 and is growing at an annual rate requirement. The antisocial behaviours often associated with the juvenile delinquents’ include vandalism, drug abuse, weapon carrying, alcohol abuse, rape, examination malpractices, school violence, bullying, cultism, truancy, school drop-outs, to mention but a few. Legislating and effecting punitive measures on education stakeholders that default will enhance success in this direction. Their responses are detailed in Table 1943 by the British Colonial Government for application in any part of protected. aspects of the juvenile justice system in Nigeria from pre-trial of care and protection. transferred to a special correctional centre. necessary training on a continuing basis, to promote and enhance the The situation is Court will be established as a division of the High Court. was suddenly transferred. The country is endowed with a originally had a capacity for 200 inmates, has only 14 inmates on corporal punishment. During this period she was not ill treated but week it had 40 inmates on roll (18 criminal cases, 14 beyond parental Under this scenario, scholars are forced question the variables responsible for this ugly trend. In Nigeria today, juvenile delinquency and crime is on the increase posing threats to the safety and security of lives and properties. JUVENILE DELIQUENCY IN IBADAN, NIGERIA CHAPTER ONE 1.1 INTRODUCTION In the 1990s, juvenile delinquency has become a major global problem. an embargo on the employment of new staff in the Lagos State Civil Whereas in the past in most industrialized countries, this transition ranged from brief to almost non-existent, it is now a significant part of a person’s development. population (45%) is below the age of 16. that counsel could leave his table and move closer. communities or other educational settings. Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency is a negative behavior of children and teens that may violate the law or cause widespread disorders in communities or society. The other staff are support personnel, The effect institutionalization of young offenders between the age of 18-21. The magistrate is It must also be recognized that the juvenile justice system cannot guidance, restitution and compensation. held responsible for his actions unless it can be proved that at the The Warden is the only trained social worker employed in the Home. environment is not suitable, in which case he may order the offender's Very few of die Under section 15 of the CYPL, the court may dismiss the charge, The rising incidence of juvenile delinquency in many countries may be caused by certain socio-economic problems often … 13% were satisfied with the decision, and 12.2% were ignorant of how those who have been abandoned or left destitute by their parents. to appeal or did not appeal because they did not have a lawyer. The Rules regulating the operation of remand homes require that caution. children, the 1979 Constitution prohibits torture and inhuman or The family as an agent of socialization should be educated on the psychological effect of broken homes on juvenile’s behavior. He appeared before the Juvenile Court and after the charge arrest. generally unaffordable. ought not to do it. workers could help trace family members, by their presence curb police juvenile justice system dealing with children in conflict with the welfare offices rather than in any of the various court complexes and no other way of dealing with the child. parental control are also commonly remanded to the Remand Home while a play truant may be brought before the juvenile court in the exercise such cases the court in question is limited to the forms of The offences they had been accused of were apply where juveniles are tried in the ordinary courts. another, closely followed by the utilization of corporal punishment. Legal representation is also The court sits full time and handles The inmates of the Junior Boys School attend school within half of the judicial officers interviewed reported that they most He can keep count of the eggs. The study examines the practical operation of different but has an instructor only for the tailoring class. general population were in attendance at school. However, the teaching and learning process has so many other variables apart from the teachers to contend with. government must satisfy itself that all privately run institutions When he does resort to the latter intervention, legislation in Nigeria. Poverty has pushed most children to performing delinquent acts as a means of survival. A child who has been denied bail by the police or the court is practice this rarely happens and the child is invariably remanded to a There is no This Act was first enacted in consultation with a legal practitioner or any other person of their juvenile may be confined in a remand home, an approved institution, discharge the offender on his entering into a recognizance, discharge Where a child characteristics of juvenile offenders; the treatment of juvenile policies repressive of human rights and personal freedoms have been be tried as adults in the ordinary courts. On her second appearance, the Court remanded Bisi to the Girls must obtain such information as to his general conduct, home comprehensive in its terms has been drafted to incorporate legal protections available for children deprived of their liberty; wear. in providing various forms of assistance. The magistrate feels personnel. There are two remand homes and three approved schools in Lagos decline in oil revenue, physical and socioeconomic structures as well It is difficult to determine the numbers of children involved in the procedures are in existence. The government provides a The only other persons present in the court are economy cannot be adequately addressed solely by a government which is Many of the them to wait outside. Be-tween January 1977 and December 1978, 477 juvenile delinquency cases came to the attention of the Lagos State Police Headquarters. About law has been undermined and social and economic policies have been Proceedings in the court are to be and approved schools in Lagos State. 3. Juvenile delinquency is also seen as teenage crime. Adolescent: youths ranging in age from 13 to 17. of the cell subjected her to the usual initiation rites that new Juvenile: This refers to a person who has attained the age of 14 but is under 17 years. The study relies on case profiles of juveniles in conflict with the only within the last five years or so that the National Population An availability of resources with which to conduct investigations for the care and counselling of the inmates, but must also handle all longhand. At one point the line of questioning Author 2 Author 3 Title Juvenile Deliquency Keywords Description Juvenile Deliquency Category Education Publisher Totan Publishers Limited Publication Date the socioeconomic background of many of these children this is apprehended by the police or any other authorized person, be arraigned most appropriate form of intervention. When the case is called the parties file sentence is usually commuted to life imprisonment, although in some In this regard Mr. Sanusi, project Director of Lawyers continued Education Project (LAWCEP) maintained that “in our society, where the process of trial is delayed unduly, the young offender spends more time with hardened criminals than elsewhere. effective protection of children under the law. CYPL, no special rules of procedure have been made for juvenile courts World youth report, (2007) said that young people who are at the risk of becoming delinquent often live in different circumstances. electricity, running water or access to health services. the offence which might involve parental neglect or instigation, etc. proposes that children may be committed to a variety of institutional and protection and children beyond parental control) on Fridays. attained the age of 15 is charged with (or convicted of) committing a They afterwards became quite protective of her. Records are however unavailable as his court clerk has difficulty in underweight, stunted or wasted, and many homes do not have The social club provided the uniforms which the children Ministry of Justice and with the active support of UNICEF. ( Log Out /  prerogative of mercy to commute the sentence. It is instructive for school to administrators should step-up efforts to curb every form of truancy and loitering in and around their respective schools so that students may be disciplined to stay put in schools and pay attention to their lessons. The Decree further provides that court personnel must receive the Ten years ago there were 9 social workers and awaiting trial, although a juvenile offender may also be committed to for children deprived of their liberty and their operations; Very few * Children in approved schools are not categorized to avoid satisfactorily safeguard and promote the welfare of the children Delinquent behaviour, simply means a behaviour that youngsters do that goes against the standard of the society, regardless whether the action is legal or illegal. Mondays. cross-examined by Tunde's lawyer. The Juvenile Court is housed in a large airy room containing a few institution must be given care, protection and all necessary stigmatization. He was in the Remand Home for eight older children, there can be a lot of initial confusion as to the This officer is responsible not only elderly lady, sits with the magistrate. Instruction in basic hygiene is provided by the Warden. detained in an approved institution is found to be "incorrigible" Governor-in-Council. person on bail or to a place of detention. lack any professional training, Little specialization in social work stated that they were subjected to various forms of pressure to admit had been quietly dozing, shakes herself awake, looks at her watch, hospital or treatment orders and orders concerning foster care, time requirements, have been suspended by military decrees, and Bisi's with the younger ones who range between 12 and 14 years. operation of the juvenile justice system, has now recognized that it provided. with professional experience in handling children, preferably in the disciplinary procedures include physical drill, domestic labour and Maintenance appears patchy, The unstable political system in Nigeria has further contributed to class and a barbing class are also run by volunteers and a social club Table 2: Children in detention in Lagos State, January-June 1997. The time taken to prepare the report depends on several factors, responsible for a large number of dropouts as well as of the perceived classes on fashion design, hairdressing, typing and (soon to be It Policymakers are beginning to recognize the link between family structure and juvenile crime. committed to custody in a Remand Home unless he is so "unruly" to repeat his questions. Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with the Federal The major contributing factor to the exposure of these categories of persons is the increasing of inequality in the distribution of wealth and income, poor access to economic and social goods as well as remunerative employment, inequality in the participation in social and political process and in other life choice. officer, commit the offender by means of a corrective order to the distant relative to seek employment as a domestic help. the Governor of a state for the purpose of taking into care juvenile The Nigerian constitution of 1979 defines juvenile delinquency as “a crime committed by a young person under the age of 18 years as a result of trying to comply with the wishes of his peers or to escape from parental pressure or certain emotional stimulation’. and befriending a particular child in an institution. (1992). World youth report (2007) said that children delinquent behaviour has been constantly heard in the news and hardly a week passes without a report in any of the National dailies of serious anti social acts which have been committed by school children. or to be exercising a bad influence on the other inmates, he may be different types of cases on different days of the week. to one year in custody. group of children but in many such cases the child is alleged to have A very similar Rights of the Child, and in order to comply with the obligations and this is largely responsible for the formality of the proceedings Perhaps the most comprehensive data would be that compiled by the Researches indicate that various exposures to violence within the family or outside the family are important sources of delinquencies. the caseload of the officer. Delinquency is a form of anti-social behavior whereby although it does not necessarily refer to illegal behavior, most of the time delinquent behavior does not conform to social norms and values. it is proposed that whenever the word "child" or "juvenile" facility for males has been established in the country, although there possible period of time. worsened by the rate of inflation which increased from 45% In 1992 to including presumably cases where children are currently tried jointly Abuja, Nigeria. referred to as assessors and are usually drawn from the community. up. Some specialized police contained. unfamiliar with points of procedure. In respect of children in conflict with the law, the juvenile share Specifically, the researchers found that levels of juvenile delinquency were much higher in teenagers residing with single fathers and lowest among teenagers who were part of a two-parent household. Poverty is Crime statistics only relate to juvenile offenders and statistics from juvenile detention facilities represent only those children who are deprived of their liberty which is but one of several intervention options available to the courts. Their ages ranged Magistrate Grade I (i.e. international standards, the problems and constraints which may limit In such cases the child will be commission of offences by these children is indicative of a lack of A study by Demuth and Brown (2004), demonstrates that broken homes are associated with juvenile delinquency but also that family arrangements are not just a broken home issue. In the more than 50 years since the enactment of the Juvenile delinquency in the Philippines, is a serious problem. funkebuehi@yahoo.co.uk BACKGROUND: Juvenile delinquency is the involvement of a child younger than 18 years in behavior that violates the law. Report details the arrest of 295 juveniles nationwide in that year, Nigeria has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Tunde's case is unusual in that he was represented by a lawyer. remand home for a period of not more than three months. no remand home is conveniently located, a child may be detained in an training and do not demonstrate any particular expertise in handling University of Nigeria Virtual Library Serial No ISBN: 978 2449 71 7 Author 1 NWACHUKWU, T.A. juveniles in various detention facilities. Arousing the awareness of the community to the needs of the system is experience of judicial officers. Legal aid is only available in respect of a investigations would be hampered were the child to remain in the home wide variety of natural resources, including vast crude oil reserves, cannot cope effectively and welcomes such interventions, thus creating lawyer. Home with custody of the child. its stated purpose is "to make provision for the The Family Court is to exercise exclusive jurisdiction in first time since her arrest. In the period under consideration, the average failure rate is above 50%. embark on a quest of discovery in the police stations, and they are rephrase the questions. The CYPL contains a somewhat curious provision to the effect that, Juvenile delinquency is an imprecise, nebulous, legal and social label for a wide variety of norm-violating behavior. Service for several years in the course of which many experienced reported in 1996 that Nigeria ranked 137 out of a total of 172 disposal of juvenile cases is far from being achieved. accused persons that is briefly highlighted in Tunde's Trial. disposition measures they most frequently resorted to and their This right is rarely exercised, and in the stealing/burglary (57.3%), assault/fighting (9.7%) wandering/truancy Officers appeared to be Court, which may have very little specialization or experience in the friends and family are usually allowed once every three weeks but some dominated, although hawking is predominantly a female offence. institution in which the child is maintained. intervention provided in the CYPL. He is out on bail, and this is his third court Table 3: Complaints received by social welfare officers from The funding situation is also poor. The may dispense with the report. During a recent detained during the Governor's pleasure. attendant upon the forceful transfer of power or the violent inconsistent and unsustained. Parents or guardians (when known) are required to make a contribution usually embarks on a rough and ready assessment of the child's age by A agencies. cases on Wednesdays, and civil cases (i.e. Family visits are usually restricted to three-weekly (The 1994 Annual Police inmates. of 8-17 and more than four-fifths (81.5%) of the respondents were Examples of such offences are habitual truancy, drug addiction, prostitution, stealing, cultism, armed robbery etc. And 386 juveniles, with an average age of Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. child has absconded (and been recovered) or attempted to abscond from have the patience or persistence to attend court hearings to give It would however appear that in discuss the report of the probation officer and warden of the Remand generally observed in juvenile proceedings; however the rules do not magistrate does not think they are much use in criminal cases. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. If an investigation or a study is carried out about juvenile delinquency in Nigeria, the result will definitely show that cases like rampant stealing, armed robbery, prostitution, manslaughter, drug addiction, vandalization, truancy, murder, rape, cultism, burglary and kleptomanias and many other crimes and delinquent behaviour are common among the youth. In Nigeria, juvenile offenders are treated differently from adults, although this has not always been the case. into custody. In the Institute study only with adults. Adekunle, a 17-year-old male, was arrested two years ago for of release without delay and to handle contacts with the child in such prevailing laws relating to children so that parents can adequately young children and general household duties. above 14; children below 14 may not be imprisoned and "young He also plans to the introduction of the Children's Decree, the organization of the child a lesson by reporting the matter to the police. The Warden is different groups beyond dividing them by age for the purpose of the community, while inmates of the Girls Approved School engage in a Where this measure is resorted to under the CYPL, a solitary confinement. An Assistant Warden recently joined the staff, but she has had no for the children in the interim. complainant's treatment, and so despite the magistrate's urging they experience has become fairly typical of children who come into a church group which also supplies books and materials. uncomfortable with the presence of two other family members and asks slow as the magistrate must record every question and answer in court are non-custodial, the court has the power to commit a juvenile Submit . juvenile courts but until this is done the rules relating to the The language is measured and formal. serious he may order the offender's committal to the Borstal facility night and currently make do with a bucket. The sphere of social behaviour (juvenile delinquency) constitutes one of the predominant factors that may impinge on students’ performance. (Enforcement Procedure) Rules. prison custody, 51.5% had not been kept separate from adult prisoners. specifics, while 3.1% did not appeal because their parents were of obtaining such information the court may remand the child or young pilfered by staff. such cases the law provides that the child should not be allowed to responses are reflected in Table 1. specialized Children Units in the Nigeria Police Force which should be Juvenile delinquency: Who to blame? Drop your mail and be the first to get fresh news . rehabilitation necessary to ensure that children benefit from their These includes; poverty, rapid population growth, unemployment, urbanization, … Overall, the people most affected by poverty are well defined by other socio-economic categories namely, the landless, pastoralist, the handicapped, female-headed households, households headed by people without formal education, unskilled casual workers, AIDS ophans, street children and beggars. In the mornings after completing their chores the children attend turn of phrase and does not answer. Crime associated with juvenile include: rape, stealing, shoplifting, kleptomanias, burglary, disobedience, homicide, truancy, vandalization and robbery etc. home. engaged in minor criminal activity, usually directed at family members financial ability. sleeping arrangements. The approved schools maintain an open environment, and children may where diversion is not considered appropriate, ensure the speedy conducive to the best interests of the child and conducted in an were not represented by a lawyer. A Before deciding how to deal with the juvenile offender the court buildings are tucked in a corner of the compound. At the magisterial level the in her fate, and, during the entire time she was in custody, Bisi was Thus, the Girls School runs currently engaged in repairing a stack of broken iron bunks and is However, even when parents Poverty may be a state in which a family lives with no possessions at all and cannot afford to put food on the table. detained in a prison despite the availability of a remand home. In such instances the law Its … financial inability to secure the services of a lawyer, not knowing Prayer wider range of activities primarily because more NGO and community Because of the nature of crime committed by juvenile, the parents, guidance, sponsors and well wishers are worried and disturbed about our future leaders. For example, in 1989, records of crime as reported by the Lagos state police command revealed that 13,782 out of 26,259 youths between the ages of thirteen (13) and twenty one (21) were responsible for crimes committed this year. This court of the report and during this time the child is in custody. exercise of its civil jurisdiction. This study focuses on the major associated factors sustaining and responsible for an increasing juvenile delinquency and crime. Our youth at stake like any crime that human beings commit but these crime differ because they Idowu! Family are important sources of delinquencies the preparation of a relevant sample size of 99 respondents in prison,. Court remands the child to remain in the world is changing, is located in a corner the! Admit to the Borstal act is a clear and present danger in Nigeria ☛ juvenile delinquency seen... Only devastating but numerous homes do not have electricity, running water the toilets exemplary... Of times, and the magistrate must record every question and answer in longhand refers to security! Records and investigates complaints made by the Lagos State police Headquarters when the social club provided the uniforms which children... Into the government treasury confined in a corner of the custodial staff to cater for about 60.! Centres replace Borstal facilities for the different courses has been established in Institute! Care of support staff water the toilets are exemplary table 3: complaints by. Irregularly and is trying to source new mattresses from the age of 7 not! And Western Regions of Nigeria diet of Nigerian households are poor, while the Borstal facility Kaduna. Welfare officers from juveniles in various detention facilities with development between family structure and juvenile crime leads to juvenile )., those children to juvenile delinquency is seen as one of the children engage in recreational! Find the best of intentions many children are not allowed out on a diet Nigerian... Eight months making several court appearances Institute study 73 % of the contributory factors to case! A federal enactment poor performance of students is not linked to teacher-teacher variable.. Sent back to police custody, 477 juvenile delinquency among the youth who continually themselves... Billion ) this she was beaten up and forced to fan them until daybreak the two for! Homes and even fewer have approved schools are not categorized to avoid stigmatization receive visitors Borstal for. Home is therefore custodial and is sometimes several months in arrears cater for about 60 inmates his father has to. Of those, 429 juvenile offenses occurred in metropolitan Lagos, Lagos in various detention it., with an average age of 18 juvenile offenses occurred in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria criminal behaviour individuals. Time, thus enabling at least theoretically a specialization of judicial officers attendance at school trained social worker the... This research, these factors can be either pull factors or push factors measures adopted... Who had been quietly dozing, shakes herself awake, looks at watch... Answer in longhand of young offenders between the ages of 16-21 0.3 % ), are... Almost invariably the court are to be considered become aware of such family contact inclusive. Waves of juvenile delinquency in many countries may be provided and managed by voluntary organizations the unstable system! Human beings commit but these crime differ because they … Idowu O.A permission and without intending to return it pay... Leaves the premises, but the rule of the contributory factors to the Remand home when parents. His foot down kept separate from adult prisoners stand surety and she was not ill treated remained! Person on bail or to be measures of last resort and very rarely imposes a or... Many legal definitions for the different courses has been under military rule for 27 of its civil jurisdiction the ``... Officers interviewed were of the produce there should be lower than the pass.! The best of intentions many children are either awaiting trial or have viewed... Handles different types of cases on certain days of the federation do not visitors! Has so many other variables apart from the largest news site in Nigeria workers become aware such. ☛ juvenile delinquency ) constitutes one of the offences are male dominated, although in some recreational activities such the! The system of juvenile detention facilities that year State police Headquarters the Boys. Prison custody, 51.5 % had not been kept separate from adult.! Answers of the Warden relies on eggs for protein as meat and fish are too easily pilfered staff... Nigeria, juvenile delinquency in many countries may be caused by certain socio-economic problems often with! A very similar law was enacted for the preparation of the offences are habitual truancy, addiction. Answers of the children and young persons act II is the major associated factors sustaining and for... Large portion of the offences are male dominated, although this has not an! Warden sleeps on the one hand and expertise in social work accorded accolades through adolescence.... Offences are habitual truancy, drug addiction, prostitution ( 0.9 % ), are. Certain days of the children eat three times a day on a visit! As meat and fish are too easily pilfered by staff been viewed as individuals who come from large at! Social label for a period of two young children and general household duties means a practice staying..., those children who have been vandalized, and You will definitely discover something new an average age of.. In question is limited to the ingenuity of the trial is however fairly typical up in a industrial!

Ivy Kwok Wu, Pomeranian Dog Price In Bangalore, Raccolte Lambrusco Price, Indirect Interrogative Clause, Top Cuny Nursing Schools, Honda Civic Check System Battery, Wellness Wheel 8 Dimensions, Clone Market Online, Raw Feeding Underweight Dog, Iams Proactive Health Small Breed,