A Study on the Risk Factors and Quality of Life of Male and Female Children in Conflict with the Law

Abstract

Delinquency among Filipino youth, with its ever-increasing incidence, is an area of concern that we all need to properly address. Both male and female children have now been violators of the law. To recognize how this phenomenon had come to be and to prevent cases from further escalating, it is vital to study their life situation and the risk factors that might have affected them. A research was conducted on two youth homes located in Metro Manila, namely Molave Youth Home and Manila Youth Reception Center. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were both employed. Quantitative data was statistically treated while qualitative information were translated into case studies. A total of 41 respondents participated in the study with a mean age of 16.71 years. The instrument used measured their socio-demographic descriptions, the possible risk factors and their quality of life. All of the respondents were able to attend school, many of whom reached elementary and secondary. On their families, many have parents who lived together, but there were also a considerable number of separated parents. Fathers were the most common member who engaged in substance abuse and who experienced being in jail. Parents were also included in the top three perpetuators of abuse together with peers and the police. In terms of risk factors, it was observed that individual and social-related factors were more commonly experienced by the respondents than community-related factors. Furthermore, sex, running away, suicidal attempts and family history of drug use were the factors which displayed correlation to delinquency. Significant trends were also found for levels of education, number of siblings, smoking behavior, emotional abuse and psychological neglect. Likewise, more than half of them had a moderate quality of life characterized by their good scores on domains like psychological well-being and social relationships. In conclusion, this study provided information that can be used on intervention programs among CICLs. This also showcased some gaps on law implementations that are supposed to protect the rights of the children. Thus, it is very crucial that these kids be helped, respected and protected.