Chapter one
Introduction
1.1Background of the study
According to Snyder, (2013) Youth rate for violent crime began increasing in the late 1980s, after more than a decade of relative stability, Youth arrest the rate of violent youth crime as it was rose between 1988 and 1994 (Snyder, 2013). Youth Crime is noted to be an intractable problem worldwide and has been increasing phenomenally by as much as 30 percent since the 1990s (Sickmund, 2013). However, Snyder further said that if the trends continue as they have over the past 10 years, the number of Youth arrests for violent crimes will triple by the year 2025. Although the number of arrests for violent crimes increased and data also show that teenagers are responsible for the most violent crimes. In some years back, young people accounted for only 45 percent of all arrests for violent crimes. This means that a little less than a fifth of all people entering the justice system on a charge of violent crimes were Youths (Sickmund, 2013). Moreover, antisocial behaviours of teenagers have been posting a lot of problems to the wellbeing of the people and society in Nigeria and Youth crime witnessed in Nigeria include: drug cruelty, cultism, harrying or bullying, malingering, examination derelictions, prostitution and theft (Snyder, 2013).
However, Immarigeon, (2014) opined that Youth Crime is an illegal acts, be it criminal or status offence committed by young people under the age of 18 (eighteen). On the other hand, violence committed by minors is increasing, adults were responsible for 55 percent of the increase in violent crimes from 2010 to 2020 (Snyder, Sickmund, & Poe-Yamagata, 2013). Obviously something is happening in today’s society, though more and more Youths of commit crimes. Sometimes a researcher needs to get to what he or she thinks is the root of the problem to understand what causes some issues. What causes a Youth to become a criminal and what makes the Youth so easily gravitate towards this lifestyle. This study explores how family life affects Youth Crime. Teenagers are more likely to become Youth delinquents where few families provided in structure (Amato, 2015).
Some youth get into crime due to peer pressure and rebellion against parental authority (Maseko, 2009). Cases of the young offenders whose offences were being in possession of bhang (cannabis sativa) were noted at YCTC and they confessed to have been recruited by friends. This reinforces Erickson (2001) observation that drugs also lead the youth to crime. There were some youth who claimed to have committed criminal activities under the influence of chang’aa (traditional liquor) and bhang. This confirms Dentler (1967) assertion that addiction to narcotics destroys the moral fibre of the addict; therefore, their character deteriorates and habits become evil. Makhoha (2008) in a study on the factors that influence male delinquents to commit capital offences among Kamiti inmates established that drugs were one of the factors. The cases of unrest in schools and colleges have also been attributed to drug abuse where bhang smoking is common. For instance, these riots and arson attacks in schools; where students are burnt in their sleep to death by their colleagues occurred in Endarasha Boys High on 18/10/2010 in Nyeri County when two students were burnt to death (Sunday Standard Newspaper19/10/2010).
Statement of the problem
Youth is a concomitant of any transforming society. The negative socio-pathological phenomenon disrupts the harmonious development of society, threatens the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, the company produces a feeling of fear and insecurity. Youth crime continues to be a problem because it has failed to completely eliminate its causes and to change the conditions to protect the company and the individual. Youth crime is considered a multidisciplinary issue that has aspects of social and personality, as well as sociological, psychological, educational and criminal law
Objective of the study
The following research objectives will be ascertained;
- To find out the causes of crime in Nassarawa among youths
- To find out consequences of crime
- To suggest way of eliminating crime in Nassarawa
Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses are formulated to guide the study;
H1: there are no causes of crime in Nassarawa among youths
H2: there are no consequences of crime in Nassarawa
Significance of the study
The study will be very significant to students, lecturers, youths in Nassarawa and the policy makers. The study will give a clear insight on the study of youth crime in nassarawa. The study will find out the causes and also suggest the solution to crime in Nasarawa and the entire nation. The study will also serve as a references to other researcher that will embark on the related topic
Scope of the study
The scope of the study covers the study of youth crime in Nassarawa. The study will be limited to youths in Nasarawaa state
Limitation of the study
Limitations/constraints are inevitable in carrying out a research work of this nature. However, in the course of this research, the following constraints were encountered thus:
- Non-availability of enough resources (finance):Â A work of this nature is very tasking financially, money had to be spent at various stages of the research such resources which may aid proper carrying out of the study were not adequately available.
- Time factor:Â The time used in carrying out the research work is relatively not enough to bring the best information out of it. However, I hope that the little that is contained in this study will go a long way in solving many greater problems.
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