Complementary roles of the South African police service and child and youth care centres in drug abuse and juvenile delinquency control in Gauteng province.

• Main Author: Maupa, Mashego Abram.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1001775

M.Tech. Safety and Security' === Juvenile delinquency in South Africa is a cause for concern, hence the development of a statutory framework such as the Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill 1998, Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act No. 75 of 2008), Children`s Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005) introduced to regulate the whole system from arrest, detention/custody, court proceedings, release/conviction until imprisonment. The process for handling of the child in conflict with the law commences with an arrest at the police station. After the arrest, the police will comply with the process by notifying parents/guardians of the juvenile and the probation officer, who will assess the child and compile an assessment report before the appearance of the child before the child justice court. It is against this backdrop that this study aimed to address the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency and establish how alcohol and drug abuse among the youth contributes to juvenile delinquency. The study further intended to establish other factors that influence alcohol and drug abuse and the extent to which those factors contribute to juvenile delinquency. The study intended to suggest possible solutions to address these factors. The study identified the following background factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency: socio economic condition; familial structure & relationship; familial problems; community context; parenting; peer pressure/network; substance abuse; educational attainment; and gender, race & age of juvenile. The theoretical review of the study also identified the link between deviant behaviour of juveniles and their socio economic conditions, inequality in application of law, social interaction with deviant groups and fast changes in industrialization and urbanization. In addition, the study presented and recommended possible solutions to background factors associated with alcohol/drug abuse and juvenile delinquency. The study identified the following South African Police Service (SAPS) strategies in controlling drug alcohol/abuse among the youth and juvenile delinquency: crime intelligence and informer network established to provide information on the whereabouts of the drug dealers in order to arrest them; regular drug awareness campaigns in the streets and safety talks held with school children and the community; pamphlets distribution within the community and among school children with information on the danger of drugs and substance abuse; intelligence driven operations to confiscate drugs and clandestine drug laboratory accessories; and ensuring that whenever there is a case reported where a child is involved, the child is treated according to the Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act 75 of 2008). Similarly, the study identified the following child and youth care centre strategies in managing juvenile delinquency: establishment of a Youth Unit to cater for rehabilitation programmes to drug-addicted children; instituting and conducting life skills and therapeutic programmes aimed at restoring child offenders back to the society. The results of both strategies by the police and child and youth care centres are very positive, ix MA Maupa because there was an overall decrease in juvenile delinquency and some of the rehabilitated children are now responsible citizens who attend schools and church. In addition, the study revealed the following challenges experienced by child and youth care centres: there is no after-care or follow up treatment (to continue with life skills and therapeutic programmes) available in some communities after the release of children from the centres, and this results in children reverting back to their previous bad behaviour or juvenile delinquency. In the recommendations, the research also emphasized that it is possible to prevent juvenile delinquency by enhancing sound family life, providing parents with necessary parental skills, trying to provide the best in housing, education, health services, infrastructure and recreational facilities. In conclusion, the research identified implementable recommendations in the interest of all the stakeholders who are dealing with juvenile delinquents/offenders.