Offenses Committed by Juveniles in an Urbanized City: Basis for Enhancement of Decorum and Intervention Program

Abstract

This study assessed the perceived contributing factors behind offenses committed by juvenile students in an urbanized city and used the results to formulate an enhanced decorum and intervention program. A descriptive research design was used at San Juan National High School, City of San Juan, Metro Manila. Through purposive sampling, 270 Junior High School students with records of misconduct in the guidance office and 42 teachers answered parallel four-point Likert-scale questionnaires covering five contributing factors: family dysfunction, social pressure, identity and inequity, insufficient literacy, and economic condition. Guidance office records for school year 2017–2018 showed 376 cases of 18 kinds of offenses, led by fighting (36), bullying (34), and truancy (33). Family dysfunction was the highest-rated contributing factor for both students (M = 2.91) and teachers (M = 3.00), with a combined mean of 2.96 interpreted as Agree. The lowest-rated factor was social pressure for students (M = 2.59) and identity and inequity for teachers (M = 2.25). The t-test for independent samples showed no significant difference between the students’ and teachers’ assessments in any of the five factors at the 0.05 level. A five-area action plan with a total proposed budget of ₱31,000 was formulated and rated suitable (M = 2.95), feasible, and acceptable by both groups. The study concludes that student offenses are rooted mainly in problems at home and recommends a preventive program, parenting classes, full implementation of the action plan, partnership with the local government and non-government organizations, and a recalibrated student handbook.