PROJECT CODE: 000046

EFFECTS OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR ON STUDENTS

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN UGHELLI NORTH LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE

TABLE OF CONTENT
TITLE PAGE

ii

CERTIFICATION

iii

DEDICATION

iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENT

vii

ABSTRACT

xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Statement of the Study

Research Questions

5
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Research Hypotheses

Purpose of the study

Significance of the Study

Limitation the Study

Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

11

The Home

12

Cultism and Drugs

17

The School Environment

20

Stealing

23

Summary of Literature Review

25

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

27

Sample and Sampling Techniques

28

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Research Instrument

28

Validity of Instrument

29

Reliability of Instrument

29

Method of Data Collection

30

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, AND PRESENTATION

OF RESULTS
Testing Hypothesis

35

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION,

RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGESTION
General Discussion

41

Summary

43

Conclusion

46

Implications of Research Findings

48

Recommendations

49

Suggestions for Further Research

50

References

52

Appendix

55

PROJECT CODE: 000046

ABSTRACT
This study was designed to examine the effects of delinquent
behaviour on the academic achievement of students in Ughelli
North Local Government Area of Delta State. Three hypothesis
were formulated which are as follows: the academic
achievement of well-behaved students (non-delinquent) would
be significantly higher than those of delinquent students, that
there is no significant differences in academic achievement and
non-delinquent students and that there is no significant
relationship between the academic achievement of students
and delinquent behaviour and three research questions were
formulated. The population used in this study consist of school
principals, teachers, secondary school students which were
drawn randomly from selected secondary schools in Ughelli
North Local Government Area of Delta State. It is designed to
compare the relationship between behaviour and achievement
in academics. In carrying out this research, several methods
were adopted in gathering information and collecting data from
respondents such as a structural questionnaire for principals,
teacher's school records showing behaviour of students and
objectives test questions for randomly selected school
students. The performance of both groups was then compared
using the t and z scores. Findings were made such as: Nondelinquent students will achieve significantly higher than their
counterparts delinquent students in achievement test. The
reason being that delinquent students are plagued with
numerous problems that may exert an inhibiting effect on their
academic achievement like truancy, lateness, fighting,
absenteeism and general restlessness, there is a great
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difference in academic performance of delinquent students and
non-delinquent students. The non-delinquent students perform
better than the delinquent academically, that the delinquent
students' academic achievement will be affected by his
delinquent behaviour, and that broken homes, school
environment, teachers' interest and peer group can also lead to
delinquent behaviour of students' academic performance.
Based on this findings recommendation were made that will
help to reduce students low academic achievement, improve on
students' unrest, enhance teachers interest on students
behaviour, curtail students participation in secrete cult activity
and create good atmosphere for learning and hence academic
achievement will be high.

PROJECT CODE: 000046

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Education is the act or process of acquiring general
knowledge, developing the power of reasoning judgment and a
level of intellectual maturity.
These occur through the acquisition of knowledge, ideas,
facts and beliefs to improve the learning of the individual and
the society at large. It is expected that education should be
able to instil certain level of discipline in the individual.
The federal republic of Nigeria through the National Policy
on Education emphasis on education to be an instrument per
excellence for effecting national development, the goal of
education is to acquire and develop the child intellectual,
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physical and emotional abilities. Thus the role of delinquent
behaviours on students' academic performance/achievement
have been so predominant in our society. Albert Cohen (1955)
suggested that delinquent gangs are comprised of young stars,
denied status in respectable society because they cannot meet
the criteria of the respectable status system. Cohen further
suggested that frustration and anxiety about failure in schools
lead lower-class boys to develop a sub-culture centred around
doing the opposite of what middle-class value demand. Studies
have shown that there exist three distinct sub-cultures that
may or may not exist in student's neighbourhood and that may
offer illegal opportunities or organised criminal sub-culture, a
fighting sub-culture and recreatist sub-culture. Each of these
sub-cultures will pose an effect on academic performance these
three (3) distinct sub-cultures and very predominant in our
present day schools.
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In the first sub-culture, students become junior criminals,
hoping to move up to the adult criminal level. Students find
themselves in criminal traditions, they involve in cultism in the
second group delinquents, they are fond of bullying junior
students. The third group is usually made up of losers in both
the legitimate and the criminal worlds. Members here are not
tough enough to succeed as fighters and cannot find profitable
criminal opportunities either.
Records has shown that students who have high academic
achievement are less likely to engage in delinquent behaviour
than those who have lower academic achievement. (Ellioh and
Voss, 1972; Henggeler, 1989). Students who have unsuccessful
experiences in school are more likely to be involved in
delinquent behaviour such as dropping out of school.

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Another study by Farnwoth, et al., (1985) noted that a
prominent idea in criminology is that academic competence is
inversely linked to delinquency through the mechanisms of
academic success level and emotional attachment tot eh
school.
Statement of the Study
The problem of delinquency is a real one in our society. it
is felt that today at an alarming rate everywhere, they appear
to be complex and difficult to solve by various homes, school
and the government and this must be curbed in school
delinquents and potential delinquents make up a sizeable
portion of the classroom.
The effect of delinquent behaviour is felt both in the family
and the community as established in the background of study.
Delinquent behaviours include fighting, bullying, burglary,
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truancy, absenteeism, malingering, laziness, persist lateness
drug abuse, mass disobedience, smoking and cultism, to
mention but these few. These delinquent behaviour listed
above will affects the student's academic achievement. For
instance, a truant child who is restless/not stable in school has
nothing to take home at the end of the term. And this will
eventually affect the child's academic.
Research Questions
The following research questions serve as guide in
carrying out this research.
i.

Will non-delinquent student achieve higher in

ii.

performance objective test than delinquent students?

Is there a difference in the academic achievement of

iii.

students that are delinquent?

Is there any relationship between delinquent and
academic achievement?
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Research Hypotheses
i.

There is no significant relationship between academic

achievement of delinquent students and the well
behaved students would be significantly higher than

ii.

those of the delinquent students.

That there is no significant difference students and

iii.

those of the behaved students.

There is no significant relationship between academic
achievement of delinquent students and the well
behaved student's behaviour.

Purpose of the Study

This study is designed to investigate the effects of this
negative and deviant behaviour on the academic achievement
of students. Specific ally, the main problem of concern is to
ascertain the role(s) played by some of the delinquent acts that
affect academic achievements of students in Ughelli North Local
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Government Area of Delta State. This study is therefore,
undertaken to:
i.

Identify and discuss some to the delinquent

behaviours likely to affect academic performance of
students such as stealing, lying fighting and noise

ii.

making.
Identify the role played by these negative acts on

iii.

academic achievement.
Identify the level to which delinquent behaviours can

iv.

affect academic achievement of students.

Bring education planners and administrators to show
more interest and pay serious attention towards the
upbringing of the children.

Significance of the Study

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A student's academic achievement can be hinged on the
student's self-concept and behavioural attitude at home and
school. Such negative behaviour, truancy, stealing,
malingering, absenteeism, lying and fighting can go a long way
in affecting a child's academic achievement. The academic
achievement of a student will be hampered if he is allowed to
put up unruly acts which are detrimental to his concentration at
school works. Some learning can be said to be pivoted on a
pupil's behaviour within learning environment, it is therefore
important, that education planners, administrators, parents
and government shall be the upper hand to given or benefit
when a study such as this is carried out.
It is the hope of this researcher that the findings of this
study will help those concerned with the planning and
implementation of education positive attitude towards the
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monitoring of ward and school. This study such as this will help
proprietors of schools, parents and teachers in looking into the
social, moral and academic needs of pupils. It is also the view
of this researcher that the findings from the hypothesis above
will help to throw more light on how delinquent behaviour can
influence students' academic achievement. It will also bring to
awareness of the juvenile in knowing the implication of their
non-conforming behaviour.
Limitation of the Study
The study covered only is restricted to Ughelli North Local
Government Area, using some of the secondary schools as case
study. Time factor is a deterrent to exclusive research, as the
researcher combines schools work with the project work.
Secondly, finance is a great hindrance as there is lacks in
transportation. Travelling to many schools become impossible.
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Definition of Terms
Delinquent: showing a tendency to crime
Sub-Culture: the behaviour and practices associated with a
particular group within a society
Gang: an organised group of criminals
Cultism: to be involved in unlawful acts
Anti-Social Acts: acts opposed to the law and customs of an
organisation or community.
Suburbs: a district, away from the centre of a town or city
Malingering: to pretend to be ill in order to avoid work
Deviant: a person whose behaviour if different in moral and
social stands from what is normal and accepted in the society

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Burglary: the crime of breaking into a building in order to
steal
Vanderlisation: unlawful destruction of property

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PROJECT CODE: 000046

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