Family, School, and Peer Influences on Juvenile Delinquency Among Public Senior Secondary School Students in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Juvenile delinquency has become a growing concern in Nigerian secondary schools, with significant implications for students’ academic, social, and moral development. This study investigated the family, school, and peer influences on juvenile delinquency among public senior secondary school students in Kogi State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 3,681 Senior Secondary School One (SS1) students from public senior secondary schools in the state, out of which a sample of 368 students was selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire titled Delinquency Questionnaire for Students (DQS). The instrument was validated and its reliability established using the test–retest method, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.87. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test and ANOVA) at the 0.05 level of significance.

The findings revealed that family factors such as poor parent–child communication, inadequate parental supervision, poverty, and lack of moral training; school factors including poor classroom management, inadequate monitoring by school authorities, unconducive learning environments, and teacher incompetence; and peer factors such as peer pressure, association with delinquent peers, and exposure to negative social media significantly influenced juvenile delinquency among students. The study also found significant differences in students’ perceptions of these factors based on gender and school location (rural and urban). The consequences of juvenile delinquency identified included poor academic performance, truancy, school dropout, drug abuse, destruction of school property, and involvement in violent and antisocial behaviours.

The study concludes that juvenile delinquency among public senior secondary school students in Kogi State is a multifaceted problem requiring collaborative intervention from families, schools, and communities. It therefore recommends strengthened parental involvement, improved school supervision, effective guidance and counselling services, and positive peer engagement strategies to curb delinquent behaviours among students.