Assessment of the Differences in Juvenile Crime Based on Family set-up among Secondary School Students in Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

Juvenile crime is a huge concern across the world today. Young individuals engage in antisocial behaviors such as theft, robbery, rape, drug and substance misuse, drug trafficking, disdain for authority, and even murder. The purpose of the study was to assess the differences in juvenile crime according to family set-up among secondary school students in Kisii County, Kenya. A descriptive survey research approach was adopted. The study's target population comprised 6,357 students from selected secondary schools. The sample size included 610 students, 9 school officials (principals, deputy principals, and teacher counsellors, one from each school), and 9 parents. The sample only included pupils from grades two and three. Both probability and non-probability sampling approaches were utilized. The schools were chosen using the convenience sampling approach. In contrast, simple random sampling was used to pick student respondents from schools A and B, and purposive selection was used to select student respondents from school C and all school administrators. The parents were also picked using convenience sampling. Data was gathered through student and teacher surveys, principal interview schedules, and parent focus groups. Data was analyzed using correlation analysis with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The findings revealed that upper-class adolescents were more delinquent than lower-class adolescents and that the media impacts juvenile crime. The research advised that media be used appropriately to minimize crime and that upper-class parents limit the digital gadgets available to their children.