TITLE:
Epidemiological and Psychosocial Profile of Juvenile Delinquency: Case Study of Delinquent Children and Adolescents under Court Order in Benin (2015)
AUTHORS:
Anselme Djidonou, Francis Tognon Tchégnonsi, Jean-Marie Adovoékpé, Iréti Nethania Elie Ataïgba, Amadou Soulémane Kpakatia, Emilie Fiossi-Kpadonou, Prosper Gandaho, Josiane Houngbé-Ezin
KEYWORDS:
Juvenile, Delinquency, Detention, Protection of the Adolescent, Benin
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.6 No.2,
February
18,
2016
ABSTRACT: Background: Given the
scale of juvenile delinquency in Benin, families, judicial bodies and the
society seemed overwhelmed. The objective was to study the epidemiological and
psychosocial profile of delinquent children and adolescents under court order
(DCAUCO) in Benin civil prisons in 2015. Methods of study: It was a descriptive
and cross-sectional study which involved 117 children aged 11 to 18 years,
recruited from 6thMay
to 10thSeptember 2015
in nine Civil Prisons and a Child and Adolescent Care Center in Benin. Data
were collected through face-to-face interview between the interviewer and the
interviewee in addition to ASSIST-WHO, Family Assessment Device and
ParentalAcceptance and Rejection Scale. Results: The average age was 16.1 ± 1.1
years, ranging from 11 to 18 years. Sex ratio M/F was 22.4. School dropout rate
was 76.9%. Orphans represented 53.9%. The proportion of juvenile offenders coming
from broken families was 30.8%. Theft (46.2%)and
rape (19.7%) were the main offenses committed. 99.1% had no criminal records
and the judge requested for all of them a detention warrant. Psychoactive
substance consumption records (46.2%) were found, including: alcohol (46.2%),
tobacco (23.9%), and cannabis (10.3%). They felt maternal and paternal absence
respectively in 48.7% and 44.4% cases and pleaded guilty in 71.8%. Pleading
guilty was a resilience factor on which the counseling would have to rely for
their rehabilitation and social reintegration.