Juvenile Delinquencies: Predictive Impact of Punishment on Secondary School Students’ Behavioural Dispositions in Lagos State

Abstract

Children over the world at one time or the other do exhibit some levels of delinquent behaviour, and these behaviours have most times become detrimental to their psychological wellbeing and academic exploits. In view of this context, this study investigated Juvenile delinquencies: Predictive impact of punishment on secondary school students’ behavioural dispositions in Lagos State. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, with the application of mixed method approach (questionnaires and a few structured open-ended questions) for data collection from a sampled population of 500 participants (Teachers-100 with 56 male and 44 females, and students-400, with165 males and 235 females). Six research questions were answered and one hypothesis tested. Collected data were analysed with the 24th version of the SPSS, and the open-ended questions were analysed narratively. Findings of the study revealed that: Verbal warning and extra academic assignments were the most frequently used disciplinary measures. Majority of teachers agreed that punishment is necessary to maintain discipline and reduce delinquent behaviour among students. This study further established that truancy was the most prevalent form of delinquency among public secondary school students, hence, significant. Also, it was found that punishment has positive influence students’ behavioural dispositions. Likewise, punishment has significant relationship with juvenile delinquency of students in public secondary schools in Lagos State. Therefore, it was recommended that schools should regularly assess the effectiveness of punishment and other disciplinary strategies in reducing juvenile delinquency. Data from these assessments can guide improvements in school discipline policies.