The aims of the study is to understand the real life conditions and experiences of children together with the extent and forms of school violence in the Secondary Schools in Trinidad among whom the highest incidences of violence have been reported, and if possible to construct an adequate theory about the upsurge in crime in this youthful section of the population using the dynamics of race, gender, social class, limited opportunity for employment, poverty and family background.
The objective of the research is to investigate the experiences of students in the Secondary School system in the high risk schools in Trinidad, and to enquire into their perceptions/experiences of the root causes, consequences and outcomes of youth engagement in violence. A further objective is to propose policies and recommendations to address the root problems of school violence and delinquency exposed by the research to reduce the levels of crime and violence in the high risk schools. In addition to recommend polices/ strategies to strengthening student protection, school staff, families and the community as a whole.
The increase in criminal behavior among the Secondary School population in Trinidad and Tobago has been of national concern for some time. Reports of serious crime – murder, attack with a weapon, rape, larceny, kidnapping - allegedly committed by school students and reported in the press, have given rise to great concern and stimulated resultant explanations from lay persons and policy makers alike. The reasons for and the appropriate methods of dealing with this relatively new phenomenon in the Trinidad context, have abounded and are discussed in various public fora.
Table of Contents
Aims
Objectives/Purpose of the Study
Problem Definition/Statement of the Problem
Introduction
Theoretical Explanations
Literature Review/Background
Methodology
Conclusion and Discussion
Recommendations
Bibliography
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This study aims to investigate the real-life conditions, experiences, and perceptions of students regarding the root causes, consequences, and outcomes of youth violence in high-risk secondary schools in Trinidad, ultimately seeking to inform the development of effective rehabilitation policies and protective strategies.
- The extent and forms of school violence in high-risk secondary schools.
- The impact of socioeconomic factors, including race, gender, class, and family structure on delinquency.
- Evaluation of theoretical frameworks explaining youth crime in developing societies.
- Proposed strategies for strengthening student protection, school environments, and community support.
Extract from the Book
Theoretical Explanations
Strain Theories argue that delinquency results from the blockage of goal seeking behaviour. The inability to achieve value goals results in the individual becoming frustrated and may turn to delinquency as a result. The theory argued that adolescents are compelled to remain in certain environment, such as family and school. If these environments are painful there is little the adolescents can do to escape this situation. This can have a major impact on delinquency. The revised Strain theory argues that a major negative effect/ relationship leads to delinquency, and frustration may lead to illegal escape attempts or anger based delinquency. They explain delinquency in terms of individual’s social relationships- that leads to delinquency. They focused on negative relationships with others, relationships which prevent the individual from achieving positive valued goals. Strain theory argues that adolescents are pressured into delinquency by the negative affective states most notable anger and related emotions that results from negative relations. The major types of strain that influence delinquent behaviour include: strain as a failure to achieve positive valued goals, strain as the removal of positive valued stimuli from the individual and strain as the presentation of negative stimuli. The general strain theory build specifies the relationship between strain and delinquency, pointing out that strain is likely to have a cumulative effect on delinquency.
Chapter Summaries
Aims: This section establishes the study's goal to understand the experiences of students in high-risk schools and to analyze the sociodynamic factors driving youth crime in Trinidad.
Objectives/Purpose of the Study: This chapter outlines the research focus on investigating the root causes of violence and proposing evidence-based policies for rehabilitation and student protection.
Problem Definition/Statement of the Problem: It highlights the national concern regarding the rise of serious crimes committed by students in Trinidad and Tobago and the public discourse surrounding this phenomenon.
Introduction: This chapter provides essential terminology and definitions related to violence, crime, and juvenile delinquency within global and local contexts.
Theoretical Explanations: It reviews various criminological theories, including Strain Theory, Labelling Theory, and Control Theory, to provide a basis for understanding deviant behaviour.
Literature Review/Background: This section examines existing research on the correlation between demographic factors like race, gender, poverty, and family structure and the incidence of juvenile delinquency.
Methodology: It describes the quantitative and qualitative research design, including the use of focus groups, interviews, and statistical analysis for the high-risk school study.
Conclusion and Discussion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that youth violence is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon tied to broader socioeconomic disparities.
Recommendations: It suggests policy interventions such as the establishment of a Youth Justice system and improvements to family and school-based support programs.
Bibliography: This section lists the academic sources and research papers utilized to support the study’s theoretical and methodological framework.
Keywords
Juvenile Delinquency, School Violence, Trinidad and Tobago, Youth Justice, Strain Theory, Socioeconomic Status, Rehabilitation, High-risk Schools, Criminology, Family Structure, Social Policy, Adolescent Behaviour, Peer Association, Labelling Theory, Prevention Strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on understanding the extent and forms of violence among students in high-risk secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago, and the underlying social factors contributing to this trend.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
Central themes include the impact of socioeconomic status, family dynamics, educational environment, and the application of various criminological theories to the Caribbean context.
What is the ultimate research objective?
The primary objective is to investigate the perceptions of students regarding the root causes of violence and to propose actionable policy recommendations for better student protection and rehabilitation.
Which scientific methodologies are employed?
The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from school records and questionnaires with qualitative data from focus group discussions and personal interviews.
What does the main body cover?
The main body provides an extensive literature review of global and local theories on delinquency, followed by a detailed methodology and a discussion on potential intervention strategies.
Which keywords define this research?
The research is characterized by terms such as juvenile delinquency, school violence, social policy, strain theory, and socioeconomic deprivation.
How does the author view the role of the family in delinquency?
The author argues that family structure, particularly single-parent households and economic hardship, serves as a significant indicator for the propensity of youth to engage in delinquent behaviour.
What specific interventions are recommended for the school system?
Recommendations include the introduction of mandatory Family Life Education, enhanced extracurricular activities, and the expansion of Parent-Teacher Associations to support students with behavioural issues.
- Citar trabajo
- BSc, MSc Stacy Ramdhan (Autor), 2010, A study of the extent and forms of school violence and delinquency among the high risk Secondary Schools in Trinidad, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/175786
