Juvenile Girls’ Involvement in Criminal Activities and its Effects on Personal Security in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Crime is the main concern of any country. The problem of juvenile delinquency is becoming more and more complex and common, and crime prevention programs are either imperfect or non-existent. This study sought to examine the juvenile girls’ involvement in criminal activities and their effects on personal security in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study objectives were: to analyze the nature and types of crimes committed by juvenile girls; to establish factors contributing to juvenile girls to criminal activities; to examine the effect of juvenile girls’ crime on personal security and to analyze strategies for mitigating juvenile girls from criminal activities. The results may help other stakeholders, such as the Kenya Guidance, Counseling and Psychological Association, and the Kenya Counselors Association; and other counselling associations to develop appropriate plans to combat juvenile delinquency in Kenya. The study was guided by the Social learning theory by Albert Bandura. It states that people learn behaviour by interacting with people around them. The study employed the descriptive case study research design. The study involved 65 juvenile girls convicted at the Makadara law court and later jailed at Kamae girls Boston school as well as 35 key informants comprised of Administration officers, Kenya police officers and officers from the directorate of criminal investigation working in Kayole Central ward. Questionnaires and interview schedules were utilized in data collection. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze quantitative data obtained from questionnaires with the help of SPSS. Qualitative data from the interviews were coded and analyzed by use of the theme analysis method. The study findings established that the main causes of juvenile girls’ crime include: poverty, peer pressure, substance and drug abuse, lack of parental supervision, lack of proper education and maltreatment of children including neglect and abuse. Juvenile girls were observed to engage in crimes such as drugs and gun trafficking, drug abuse, gangs and vigilantism not forgetting stealing. Juvenile girls’ crime was reported as a social problem that affects personal security for both the victim and the perpetrator negatively. Lastly, the recommended strategies to curb juvenile girls’ involvement in criminal activities include; the presence of police officers in the juvenile prone areas, establishment of recreation facilities, youth empowerment and strengthening community policing.