Preparing the young offender for return to society: A theoretical evaluation of Guyanese juvenile delinquents' narratives based on general treatment models

<p>The site of the study is a co-educational detention center known as the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), located in a former British colony of South America, now known as Guyana. Forty- eight detainees of this institution, which is also legally designated a training school, were interviewed about their backgrounds, daily activities and plans for the future. These structured interviews were used to test the central tenets of Sociological theories with some bearing on crime. Some of the findings are presented in the form of narrative analysis which includes discussion of various factors likely to have caused their juvenile delinquency. Family trouble, peer pressure, poverty, idleness and overreaching are among the factors highlighted in this analysis of youthful offending. Other findingsare presented in the form of theoretical analysis which demonstrates their fit with theoretical perspectives on delinquency and which explores the likelihood of rehabilitation from current programming. General recommendations are made for the programming of juvenile delinquents to be more rehabilitative. The implementation of these recommendations in Guyana would require some amendment to the pertinent legislation. In conclusion brief consideration is given to future implications that might also require structural change.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Reynolds, Bertlyn Gretna

Contributors dc:contributor

• Leon C. Wilson

• Delinquency Treatment
• Differential Association Theory
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Rehabilitation
• Social Learning Theory
• Young Offender
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Sociology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/293

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wayne.edu:oa_dissertations-1292