Influence Of Juvenile Delinquency On Students Academic Achievement In Secondary Schools In Hong Local Government Area Of Adamawa State, Nigeria: Counseling Implications

Abstract

Today, more than ever, the problem of juvenile delinquency pricks at the conscience of many societies, and Nigeria is not an exception. Juvenile delinquency is a global problem which is increasingly influencing every segment of the society. It surfaces due to the influence exerted by an unsuitable external environment on children's behavior. Reports from educators in Nigeria suggest that juvenile delinquency and other crimes are increasingly becoming a major problem in Nigerian secondary schools with estimation that 40% of youth are involve in juvenile delinquency. Juvenile delinquency has devastating effects especially on students’ academic achievement and future career prospects. It is on the basis of these that the study is undertaken to examine the influence of juvenile delinquency on the academic achievement of secondary schools students in Hong local government area of Adamawa state, Nigeria. The aim of the study is to examine the major causes of juvenile delinquency among secondary school students in Hong local government area of Adamawa State. The research design used in this research is survey research design. The population of the study is one thousand four hundred. From that population 300 were sampled, out of that number 284 returned. The instrument used for the data collections is questionnaire. Data obtained was analyses using simple percentage for bio data variables, mean and standard deviation for the research questions and independent t-test was used to test the strength of the impact because of the two groups. The findings reveals poverty and drug abuse are factors responsible for the causes of juvenile delinquency. The study recommend that the Government can help by creating more job opportunities especially for the youths so that they can engage themselves in meaningful work.