Juvenile Girls’ Involvement in Criminal Activities and its Effects on Personal Security in Nairobi County, Kenya
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Date
2021
Authors
Mburu, Amos
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
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.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Security, Diplomacy, and Peace Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Arts Degree in Security Management and Police Studies of Kenyatta University, November, 2021
Keywords
Juvenile Girls’, Involvement, Criminal Activities, Effects, Personal Security, Nairobi County, Kenya