CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA: DOES MOTHER’S MARITAL STATUS MATTER?

Abstract

This study examines whether mother’s marital status predicts involvement in a particular type of criminal activity. Data were obtained from a survey of 249 male inmates, and interview with Senior Officers in two prisons in Osun State, Nigeria Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the relative risk of committing a crime against property, crime against persons and victimless crime. The interviews were content analyzed. The majority of the respondents committed crime against property, and 40% were from single mother households. The inmates whose mothers never married, divorced or separated were at a higher risk of committing a crime against property than victimless crime, compared to inmates whose mothers were in a union (RRR 4.45 p<.05). Relative to respondents from two-parent homes, respondents whose mothers were widows were less likely to be involved in crimes against property and persons than victimless crime (RRR 0.19 p<.01). The significant association between mother’s single marital status and involvement in crime against property is suggestive of a link with large financial strain. To curb crime against property and persons and victimless crimes in Nigeria, there is need to pay attention to the marital status of mothers and empower women to strengthen the welfare of children in both the intact and disrupted families