Analysis of Predictors of Behaviour Change among Children at Risk in Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse predictors of behaviour change among children at risk in juvenile rehabilitation centres within Nairobi County, Kenya. The target population was all the children and managers of Juvenile rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County. This consisted of 380 boys, 160 girls, 8 managers in Kabete and Getathuru and 4 managers in Dagorreti rehabilitation Centre, all adding up to 552 respondents.  Children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres within Nairobi County were sampled using probability and non-probability sampling techniques. To obtain a manageable sample from the target population, convenience, purposive, stratified random and systematic random sampling techniques were used respectively. Questionnaires, interview schedules and focus groups were used in the study as tools for data collection. Data collected was entered, coded and analyzed using inferential statistics and SPSS. The qualitative data was organized, analyzed and reported into emerging themes. The study found out that rehabilitation of children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres was not adequately addressed and it was only those children with severe and profound cases whose misbehaviours transformed to moderate levels. Educationists were left out during assessment, classification, referral and exit stages despite their rich expertise in rehabilitation. The analysis of determinants scored below average in terms of behaviour change. Among the predictors, Special needs intervention measures did not exist irrespective of the fact that more than ninety percent of children had special cases. Environment was not barrier free while majority of the staff were untrained in professional courses regarding behaviour change. The researcher recommended that all the staff of Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres to undergo training in Special Needs Education. That all the Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres be moved from Ministry of Labour and Social Services and be placed under the Ministry of Education which has adequate personnel required to rehabilitate a child.

Keywords: Behaviour, Children at risk, Juvenile, Rehabilitation, Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres, Delinquency and Predictor