Youth Offending & Education and Training in South African Corrections

Crime is endemic in South Africa. It affects citizens across, age, racial, gender, religious and socio-economic divide. Young people seem to be the likely suspects and offenders in most criminal acts. However, detailed investigations pertaining to the causes of youth offences mainly attributes youth offending to socio-economic factors. This research has considered home and family circumstances of youth offenders as leading factors influencing the rise in youth offences. A purposive sample of social workers, youth, juvenile offenders and probation officers closely working with young offenders was utilized to test some of theories on youth offending. Particularly important was to look at the role of parenting during the socialization processes in youth offenders lives. The research results have revealed youth offenders either have been improperly socialized or were exposed to conditions, which might have indirectly encouraged violent behaviour. The outcome of this research suggests that South Africans ought to examine introspectively their parenting practices in order to prevent crime.