Empowering Youths for a Crime-free Society: The Case of Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the role of empowerment for youth as key to a crime-free society. This is with a view to establishing the level of socio-economic well-being and reduce crime in the society. lt highlights the factors that motivate youths to participate in organization and community development It also examines the extent to which socio-economic factors determine the outcome of people’s lives. Descriptive research design was used for the study A structured questionnaire was used in collecting data from a sample of 450 respondents for the study. Data collected were analyzed using Chi-square and t-test analysis. The findings established that there is a significant relationship between youth empowerment and attitude to crime involvement ( X² cal = 453.025> X² crit = 26.30 at 0.05 level of significance).It showed that there is significant relationship between capacity building of youths and reduction of youth’s involvement in crime (X² cal = 744.301 > X² crit = 26.30 at 0.05 level of significance). The findings also revealed that there is significant relationship between male and female attitudes to crime involvement (t_cal = 34.616 > t_tab = 1.965 at 0.05 level of significance). It is, therefore, recommended that government’s empowerment programmes should be restructured, if not re-designed, and should be centred on a “participatory approach”, There should also be greater investment in the human capital investment of youths. Besides, government should reach out to youths, regardless of their ethnic, cultural, religious, geographical or political affiliation.

Key Words: Empowerment, youth, crime-free, society, Nigeria