Factors that push minors to commit crimes from the point of view of police personnel

Abstract

Abstract:

The study aimed to identify the factors that drive juveniles to commit crimes from the perspective of the police department. To achieve this, a descriptive-analytical method was adopted, with the study community consisting of all police elements in Salfit Governorate during the first half of the year (2024). A questionnaire was designed and distributed to a sample of 40 individuals selected through simple random sampling. The study concluded the following key results:The study showed that the factors driving juveniles to commit crimes from the perspective of the police department were rated high, with an average of 3.99 and a standard deviation of 0.484. Both educational and environmental factors were equally important with an average of 4.09. Social factors ranked second with a high average of 4.00 and a standard deviation of 0.525. Economic factors ranked last with a high average of 3.78 and a standard deviation of 0.672. The results indicated no statistically significant differences at the (α≤0.05) level in the study sample's responses regarding the factors that drive juveniles to commit crimes based on the police department's perspective, attributed to variables such as gender, educational qualification, and years of experience.

In conclusion, the following recommendations were formulated:

• Raise awareness among families about the importance of proper and healthy upbringing to steer children away from criminal behavior.
• Improve peaceful parenting and care methods for children at all stages of youth, focusing on good upbringing, compassion, love, and respect.
• Work on improving the environment and housing, providing logistical, recreational, and health services, with a focus on popular and impoverished areas to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for crime.
• Identify the causes of unemployment and strive to find solutions for it.