Moral Disengagement and Gender as Predictors of Tendency to Commit Crime Among Adolescents in Anambra State

Abstract

The present study examined moral disengagement and gender as predictors of tendency to commit crime among adolescents in Anambra State. A total of 253 secondary schools students drawn from five different local government areas in Onitsha education zone, comprising 143 boys (57%) and 110 girls (43%) participated in the study. Their age ranges between 15 – 17 years with a mean age of 16.39 and standard deviation of 1.11. Two instruments were used for the study namely; Crime Behaviour Rating Scale (CBRS) and Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Scale (MMDS). The study adopted correlational and cross-sectional research design. Linear regression was used to test the correlation. The first result showed that there is positive correlation between moral disengagement and tendency to commit crime among adolescents in Anambra State r=946**. The second result showed that there was a statistically significant difference between male and female adolescents in Anambra State, on their tendency to commit crime, t=6.688**. The third result showed that moral disengagement has a significant predicting influence on tendency to commit crime among adolescents in Anambra State, B= 946, t= 46.331. The study therefore recommended creating of leisure facilities for the youths, and creates free education, and also, the school management to create an office of student adviser to help the students.