Effect of Crime Deterrence Strategies on the Control of Juvenile Gang Crime in Mombasa County, Kenya
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Date
2020
Authors
Kibiegon Cheruiyot, Gilbert
Wainaina, Lawrence
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Academic Journals
Abstract
Mombasa County has seen rapid growth in
criminal gangs composed largely of
juveniles and who are involved in a wave of
criminal activities. The criminal acts
carried out by these gangs almost on a daily
basis paint a negative picture for the county
and hence, the urgent need for finding long
lasting solutions to this security challenge.
The purpose of this study, therefore, was to
assess the effect of crime deterrence
strategies on the control of juvenile gang
crime in Mombasa County, Kenya. The
study sought to establish the effect of
community policing and public
surveillance systems on the control of
juvenile gang crime in Mombasa County,
Kenya. The study was anchored on the
social disorganization theory, general strain
theory and the routine activities theory. The
study adopted a mixed methods research
design. The study targeted several security
stakeholders namely security officers,
community policing officials, as well as
officers from the correctional/rehabilitation
centres within three sub counties in the
county namely Kisauni, Mvita and Likoni
sub counties. Primary data collected using a
semi-structured questionnaire and
interview schedules was used. The
qualitative data collected was analyzed
using content analysis while for the
quantitative data, both descriptive and
inferential analysis were undertaken. A
multiple linear regression model was used
to show the relationship between crime
deterrence strategies and control of juvenile
gang crime in Mombasa County. The
statistical package for social sciences was
the main data analysis software used. The
study established that the crime deterrence
strategies considered in this study namely
community policing and public
surveillance systems had a positive
significant effect on the control of juvenile
gang crime in Mombasa County. It was
noted that community policing was the
strategies implemented to larger extent and
also had the greatest effect on the control of
this crime in the county. The study
concluded that if the control of juvenile
gang crime in Mombasa County was to be
improved, enhanced efficiency and
effectiveness in the implementation of
different crime deterrence strategies needed
to prioritized. The study also concluded that
the control of juvenile gang crime in
Mombasa County when assessed based on
different indicators can be generally rated
as average and this crime continued to be a
threat to security in the county. The study
recommended that the government through
the Ministry of Interior and National
Coordination should also consider
increasing the budgetary allocations
towards the facilitation of community
policing programs and initiatives. More
budgetary allocations were also required
from the Ministry to lay the proper
structures needed to facilitate the efficient
implementation of public surveillance
systems in the county.
Description
A research article published in International Academic Journal of Social Sciences and Education
Keywords
crime deterrence strategies, juvenile gang crime, Mombasa county, Kenya
Citation
Cheruiyot, G. K., Wainaina, L. (2020). Effect of crime deterrence strategies on the control of juvenile gang crime in Mombasa county, Kenya. International Academic Journal of Social Sciences and Education, 2(2), 270-293