Abstract

International standards require countries to promote the establishment of laws, procedures, and institutions that respect the rights of minors in conflict with the law and are directed towards their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of social skills training and violent crimes among juvenile delinquents at the Buea Bostal Institute. The study was anchored on the Rehabilitative Model. Raynor and Robinson, 2006, Social Disorganization Theory by Clifford Shaw and Henry Mckay 1929, Social Bond Theory Hirschi 1969 and the Social Learning Theory of Albert Bandura, 1963. The Ex post facto design employing both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection was used in the study. A sample of 122 was equally used. This study had three categories of respondents involving adolescents, parents guardians of children who had graduated from the rehabilitation institution and staff of the selected institution. Convenient sampling was used to get staff members to participate in the study while snowball was used to supplement convenience sampling to sample former graduates from Borstal Institute and their parents. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire for graduates of Borstal Institute, interview guide for parents and staff was equally used in collecting qualitative data. A checklist was also developed by the researcher. The checklist contains screening questions about 38 offenses against youth that cover five general areas of concern 1 Conventional Crime, 2 Child Maltreatment, 3 Peer and Sibling Victimization, 4 Sexual Victimization, and 5 Witnessing and Indirect Victimization. Findings revealed that, social skills training as a rehabilitation technique was very instrumental to curb violent acts among juvenile delinquent adolescents. Concerning the ability of aggressive replacement training to curb acts of vandalism in adolescents is concerned, more consideration should be given to Borstal Institute but the contribution of Real Life context should not be neglected. However, the combined effect of both is more effective given the higher Explanatory Power of the IVM. The researcher developed a "Theory of Reciprocal Rehabilitation" as a major contribution of this study to existing scientific knowledge. This theory examines the rehabilitation context of juvenile delinquency relative to cognitive behavioural conceptualizations, which underpin contemporary approaches to behaviour change aimed at modifying behaviours amongst delinquents. This reflections and ideas are based on three major techniques used in rehabilitation programmes. The study recommends that, social skills training should be systematically integrated into the rehabilitation curriculum. Arreybesong Ako Ettah | Etta Roland Daru "Social Skills Training and Violent Crimes among Juvenile Delinquent Adolescents, the Case of Borstal Institute of Buea" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-5 , August 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd25307.pdfPaper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/education/25307/social-skills-training-and-violent-crimes-among-juvenile-delinquent-adolescents-the-case-of-borstal-institute-of-buea/arreybesong-ako-ettah

Authors and Affiliations