RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STREET CHILDREN AND CRIME: A CASE OF NAIROBI CITY COUNTY- KENYA
Abstract
The menace of street children and crime is a global phenomenon. Street children and crime are on the rise due to the tough economic times which deprive street children of the opportunity to attend school and their basic needs. Without proper education and being underage, most street children cannot meaningfully participate in viable economic activities. Dysfunctional family relationships in homes marred by violence, the prevalence of abusive parents and absence of responsible guardians, high poverty rate, and high illiteracy rate contribute to the problem of street children. The study sought to find out whether there is a relationship between street children and crime in Nairobi City County. It adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. The target population comprised four groups of respondents; street children, small and medium business owners in Nairobi City, ordinary citizens and law enforcement officers. The study employed stratified simple random sampling to sample the respondents. Quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential methods. To assess the link between street children and crime a multiple linear regression analysis was done. The findings of the study established different types of deprivation experienced by street children. 43 respondents (100%) of the business persons indicated that nutrition deprivations were common among street children. The respondents also agreed that shelter deprivation (38 respondents; 88.4%), health deprivation (32 respondents; 74.4%), and source of income deprivation (27 respondents; 62.8%) were experienced by the majority of the street children. nutritional deprivation (23 respondents; 53.5%) and shelter (22 respondents; 51.2%) deprivation, to a very large extent, led street children to commit crimes. The study recommended that sustainable education and public awareness be enhanced across each community to encourage society to take up the responsibility to care for street children. The County Government of Nairobi City County, in collaboration with the National Government, NGOs, the community, and well-wishers, should work together to strategically cater to the needs of street children. This includes the provision of the basic needs such as food, shelter, and children's social needs, which were identified as key drivers of the rise in the number of street children Nairobi County.
Key Words: Deprivation, Street Children, Crime Prevention, Crime Management
CITATION: Cheserek, S. K., & Kavivya, C. (2022). Relationship between street children and crime: A case of Nairobi City County- Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 9 (2), 1453-1478.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v9i2.2348
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