Abstract:
This paper aims to present a strategy to prevent youth offending in South Africa. The strategy is motivated by research
findings obtained from the study titled “Home and family circumstances of young offenders: A social worker’s view” in
2007. The findings of this study revealed that socio-economic factors; inept parenting and socialisation practices;
exposure to inter-parental violence; sibling criminality; negative parent-child relationship; parental response to deviant
behaviour of the child as well as the lack of parental interest in the rehabilitation programmes offered to their offending
children increases the likelihood of a child partaking in criminal activities. This paper argues that in order to prevent youth
offending South Africa should consider the importance of a stable home and family environment in the prevention of
youth offending. Firstly, family planning is important. Secondly, parental involvement in a child’s activities is vital to
ensure proper supervision and monitoring. Thirdly, in the absence of adequate parenting skills, efficacy and
management parenting programmes could help parents learn a conforming manner of rearing their children. Lastly, once
they have been caught committing a crime parents ought to take centre stage to ensure that the child’s behavioural
transformation takes place.
