Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Programmes in Management of Juvenile Delinquency within Penal Institutions in Kakamega County, Kenya (original) (raw)
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African Journal of Biomedical Research, 2019
Incidences of juvenile delinquency have been escalating at an alarming rate. The government has established rehabilitation centres for admitting adolescents who for some reason have had contraventions to the legal system. Rehabilitation of these children is a key component in ensuring that they are successfully empowered to live amicably in the social order. This study sought to assess the challenges facing Othaya Rehabilitation Centre, Nyeri County, Kenya. The research objective was, to assess the challenges encountered by tutors and learners in Othaya Rehabilitation Centre in Nyeri, Kenya. The research design was essentially descriptive with qualitative and quantitative approaches and was guided by B.F. Skinner's Theory of Operant Conditioning. The target population of the study consisted of all learners and teachers in Othaya Rehabilitation Centre. There were 103 learners and 9 teachers. The study employed census survey and thus the entire population was included in the sample because it was a manageable number. The research instruments included two sets of questionnaires, one for teachers and the other for the learners. A pilot study was conducted in a neighbouring rehabilitation centre in Kirinyaga County and the data collected used to compute the reliability of the instruments using Chronbach alpha which yielded a coefficient of .810, which indicated that the instruments were reliable. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, frequencies and percentages and the findings were presented in form of tables and narrations. The findings of the study revealed that teachers had not received any in-service training on handling juvenile delinquents, were not motivated, there were no incentives for good performance and the teachers received no parental support in molding the learners. The research established that the counseling programmes existing in the rehabilitation centre were perceived as generally effective, pupils were exposed to sporadic bullying by their colleagues, teachers were occasionally absent and missed classes and pupils had inadequate breaks to play a part in co-curricular activities. Lastly, the study revealed that there existed poor hygiene conditions and there was frequent theft of personal items. The study recommends the need to sensitize parents to provide for the physical and the psychological needs of the learners, provision of training opportunities for teachers and improvement of safety and living conditions for the learners.
Characterization of Juvenile Offenders in Rehabilitation Schools in Kenya
IJASS JOURNAL, 2023
A sample of 457 juvenile offenders aged 11 to 17 years comprising of 50.1% boys and 49.9% girls participated in the study. The adjudicated low-risk juvenile offences included truancy (12.9%), begging, loitering and child prostitution (16.1%), larceny (16.5%), drug and alcohol-related offences (18.0%). The highrisk juvenile offences included murder and manslaughter (4.5%), rape (6.9%), robbery (16.8%), assault (20.8%), burglary (19.3%), gang violence (11.4%) and drug and alcohol-related crime (20.3%). There were statistically significant differences among juvenile offenders in rehabilitation schools by age (F = 22.44; df =1; p = 0.04), education (F = 3247.517; df =1; p = 0.000) and exposure to low-risk offences (F = 112.36; df =1; p = 0.000). However, males and females did not differ in their criminogenic disposition (F = 0.0007; df =1; p = 0.98). It was recommended that Juvenile delinquency should be mitigated through effective school-based prevention programmes in Kenya.
Purpose: Reintegration of Juvenile ex-offenders is a long term process that starts at the time of child's intake into a rehabilitation center and continues even after their physical release through interventions, programs and services. The process help disengage children from institutions and re unite them with their families and communities. The objective of the study was to determine factors which contribute to successful reintegration of ex-offenders in Kenya. Methodology: The study employed a qualitative research methodology whereby a descriptive survey design was implemented. The study employed a qualitative research approach whereby a descriptive survey design was implemented. The study constituted a purposive sample of ten (10) juvenile ex-offenders, seven (7) rehabilitation Centre managers, ten (10) immediate relatives of juvenile ex-offenders and ten (10) community leaders. Qualitative data was availed by deploying interview guides, face to face interviews, observation and note taking. Data was analyzed qualitatively, where answers and responses from the interviews were transcribed and recorded on note books. Notes were analyzed using content analysis to clarify the ideas into themes that were identified through generation of meanings from text according to various target themes. The study also implemented open questionnaires and is qualitative data. Findings: According to the information availed by the study, rehabilitation centre managers indicated that juvenile rehabilitation centers in Kenya are underfunded and have no holistic system of juvenile reintegration and are overcrowded. No follow-up procedures are instituted to aid in juvenile reintergration.Similar results were attained from other participants and that little or no follow-up procedures are instituted to aid in juvenile reintegration. Consequently, the study pointedly determined that the reintegration process adopted by rehabilitation centers in Kenya induce little effect on behavior change among juvenile ex-offenders. The exoffenders cited discrimination by some community members, family members, friends, institutions like schools and colleges failed to admit them and some employers denied them employment. Lack of funds coping with trauma; leaving their gang were also among other challenges faced.
Rehabilitation of Delinquent Adolescents in Kenya: Challenges and Implications for Counseling
2013
The problem of delinquency in adolescence is a worldwide social phenomenon. Of most concern is the impact of delinquency on the adolescence, theirfamilies, and the society at large, and the relationship between delinquency and adult crime. It has been argued that delinquency leads to adult crime and therefore a life long career. There is need therefore to deal with adolescence delinquency to curb the trend ofadolescents maturing to adulthood with criminal behaviors. The government of Kenya has established rehabilitation schools with the aim of correcting and reforming the delinquent adolescents into adjusted productive citizens. The rehabilitation schools have programs designed to meet this objective. This paper aimed at assessing thefactors related to the effectiveness of rehabilitation schools with particular attention to parents' involvement and adolescents perception towards rehabilitation schools and recommend measures that can increase their effectiveness. This is against ...
2020
Historically assessment of juvenile offenders began during colonial era, when every young people who disobeyed colonial rules of regional zoning, labour provision, and hut tax among others were considered offenders and detrimental to colonial interests. Subsequently, the colonial government sentenced such people to institutional rehabilitation, which employed punitive measures to deter the young offenders from reoffending, thereby protecting the colonial interests. The independent government inherited this system of handling offenders. Generally, juvenile rehabilitation practices in Kenya have undergone paradigm shifts from the punitive disciplinarian, to caritative, egalitarian, and systematic paradigms between 1909 and 1995. On the contrary, policies guiding assessment of offenders have not undergone as much evolution. To date, courts of law still process children in conflict with the law. The court makes a ruling to either release the child or commit the child to rehabilitation o...
International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP), 2019
This paper is an assessment of the socioeconomic background and role of family in rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents in Kenya. The study was guided by coercion and social learning theory. A sample 120 respondents consisting of 99 juvenile delinquents and 21 parents of the ex-rehabilitees was selected. The study found out that the size of families of the juvenile delinquents consisted of an average number of four siblings. The relationship between the juvenile delinquents and their families before arrest were very bad but significantly improved after the juveniles went through the rehabilitation process. Cases of violence in the family were high and they went unreported. Family involvement in the rehabilitation programmes was very minimal, family therapies/ counseling were never practiced in any of the institutions. The study recommend for economic support and empowerment of needy families, inclusion of family therapies/ counseling in the rehabilitation programmes, family conferences and involvement of families in the rehabilitation programmes.
There is a growing concern with the growth and prevalence of Juvenile delinquents (JD) in rehabilitation centres in Kenya. Juvenile delinquency has become an intricate social problem that significantly influences all members and processes of a social structure. In January 2016, Eldoret Juvenile Remand Home alone had 155 juveniles which is its full capacity. It is against this background that this study examined psychotherapeutic interventions in behaviour modification of JD and recommended measures that would increase the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in rehabilitation centers of JDs in Kenya. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of counseling on behaviour modification of JD in Eldoret and Kakamega rehabs. The area of study was Eldoret and Kakamega rehabs. The study adopted Merton Functional Theory of Juvenile Delinquency as the theoretical framework. The study adopted the descriptive and explanatory research survey designs. The target population was comprised of delinquents in Kakamega and Eldoret Rehabs, administrators, trainers and counselors in the rehabs and probation officers. A sample size of 149 respondents comprising of 127 JD, 13 trainers, 5 probation officers, 2 counselors and 2 administrators of the Eldoret and Kakamega rehabs participated in the study. Saturated sampling catered for the delinquents, probation officers, rehab administrators and trainers. Research instruments that were used in this study included questionnaires, interview schedule and document analysis. A Pilot study was carried out to ascertain validity and reliability of the instruments and a
2013
My most sincere gratitude goes to my supervisor Prof, E.K. Mburugu who guided, encouraged and supervised this project to its' successful conclusion. The University of Nairobi fraternity stands applauded for the opportunity accorded to me to pursue my studies at masters' level. Let me also take this special opportunity to sincerely thank my boss-director children services, Mr. Ahmed Hussein and the Children's department as a whole for giving me the opportunity to pursue my masters program at the University of Nairobi. The staff members from Kabete, Getathuru and Dagoretti rehabilitation schools, truly you deserve recognition for your cooperation and positive contributions that led to the success of this project. To all the children from the above mentioned schools who took part during data collection, thank you very much for the valuable information you gave. The success of this study would also not have been realized were it not for the full cooperation , encouragement and support from my friends and colleagues of Getathuru rehabilitation school. I salute all of you. I am deeply indebted to my research assistants Mr. John Njoroge and Mr. Humphreys Oluoch Ating'a for helping me with data collection from the three institutions-Kabete, Getathuru and Dagoretti rehabilitation schools, am very grateful for the assistance. You shall surely remain very special to me and be blessed. My special thanks go to my darling wife Mrs. Caroline Odera for the moral and financial support she accorded me throughout this program. Many thanks to my loving children Fiona and Jeff Odera for standing tall with me as a source of strength for this wonderful achievement. To my late parents, Mr. Peterlise Onyango and Mama Esther Onyango who instilled good morals and positive virtues of hard work in me, thank you more sincerely posthumously. Your wish and value for education was not in vain. May the Almighty God rest your souls in peace. Finally, am very grateful to the Almighty God for taking good care of me throughout the study period despite temptations / challenges involved.
THE AGENCY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS IN KENYA COMPARED TO OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Seals, 2015
This research tested the findings of a study by James Muola, Mary Ndung’u, and Frederick Ngesa (2009) on juvenile delinquents in Nakuru in Kenya, and tests their hypotheses against other available data in Africa. Their study recommended strengthening ties with the NGO sector together with counselling on parenting in rehabilitation efforts. As a result, this research study tested their data and hypotheses by conducting a meta-analysis study using similar research in Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal was to put a broader perspective into efficient counselling and project management with juvenile delinquents, caregivers, and their opportunity structure.
Factors influencing recidivism among convicted prisoners, a case of Langata Women Prison in Nairobi County, 2015
ABSTRACT There are increased cases of recidivism in prisons which makes them to be overcrowded yet they have limited resources. Rehabilitation is difficult for many African prisons to achieve due to underfunding and overcrowding even when it stands as a major goal for policy makers. This study therefore sought to establish the factors influencing recidivism among convicted prisoners in Langata women prison. This study was guided by behavioral theory and social control theory. This study was a descriptive cross sectional study that adopted quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was collected from 40 randomly sampled inmates using semi structured questionnaires. Observations were made to determine how vocational training, education offered in prison and guidance and counselling influences recidivism in Lang’ata Women Prison. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS 18. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyze data. The study results have shown that prisoners who received education in prison were less likely to commit crime than those who did not. The study also revealed that majority of the prisoners participated in vocational training. It was established that the inmates who underwent vocational training were less likely to engage in crime compared to those who did not as they were economically viable and useful to their society. The study established that most of the prisoners’ behavior had changed as a result of their participation in guidance and counseling. The current study revealed that guidance and counseling enabled the prisoners to manage triggers of criminal behavior such as anger, bad company, and drug abuse which earlier influenced majority of them to commit crimes they were convicted of. The study revealed that prisoners who received support for tools and equipment were less likely to re-offend than those who did not. Donor partnership in rehabilitation programs was established to increase effective rehabilitation programs and enhance their quality. This study recommends that more prisoners should be enrolled in education programs while in prison. Vocational training in prison should be increased and its quality enhanced to reduce chances of prisoners re-offending. Guidance and counseling programs should be introduced into prisons across the country to help reduce recidivism. Prisoners should be supported with tools and equipment to utilize skills they acquire in prison when they leave to integrate with the society. Prison management and government should partner with more donors in rehabilitation programs to ensure effectiveness of these programs and enhance their quality with a view to reduce recidivism in Kenya.