The Role of Community Based Rehabilitation Services in Transforming Behaviors of Juvenile Delinquents a Case of Irambo and Kihumbe Centers in Mbeya
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Date
2018
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Mbeya University of Science and Technology
Abstract
The study intended to assess the role of community based rehabilitation services in transforming behaviour of juvenile delinquents in Mbeya. The study was carried out at Kihumbe and Irambo Approved School. Specifically, the study sought to identify the rehabilitation strategies used, explore community opinions on the effectiveness of the rehabilitation services a and identify youth - sensitive factors that hinder effective rehabilitation of the juvenile delinquents in the area. The study adopted a descriptive design. The target population were children who were attending rehabilitation program, children who have completed the rehabilitation program, program facilitators from Kihumbe and Irambo approved school and community members. The study selected a sample of 50 participants. Data for this study was collected through in-depth interview and observation. After data collection the information was analysed qualitatively. The study found out the rehabilitation services use counselling, vocational training, psycho-social education, life skill training, sports and games as methods of rehabilitating the youth. Training in agriculture and personal hygiene were common to all children in both centres. Findings also show that the community had a positive opinion about the service. The majority of community members pointed that rehabilitation services are so helpful to the children in the area though there is a need to improve those services provided and extend the coverage. They felt that the services have helped to modify children‟s behaviours to a significant level although there are factors that hinder effective rehabilitation such as the poor economic situation of parents and lack of adequate support from the rehabilitation centres in supporting the children to start own life. Generally, despite its contribution the rehabilitation service is faced by a number of challenges one being inadequate number of qualified staff to run the program. The study came up with different recommendations to different key stakeholders. It recommends that the government should increase staffing/personnel, ensure they are adequately trained and emphasise more on primary measures in preventing juvenile delinquency
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This Thesis was published in 2018