Existing Crime Prevention Practices on Student Safety in Public Boarding Secondary Schools in Trans-Nzoia County
- September 13, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VIII, August 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Jane Udali Alunga, Dr. Alice Limo
School of Education, University of Eldoret, P.O Box 2500, Eldoret, Kenya
Abstract: – The study examined security preparedness of the schools since there were recurrent safety problems in public boarding secondary schools even after release of the safety standards manual by the Kenyan Ministry of Education in the year 2008.The study sought to examine the effect of existing crime prevention practices on student safety in public boarding secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County. The study was modeled on Invitational theory developed by William Watson Purkey (1999). The study used descriptive survey research design. The study targeted principals, teachers, students and security officers in 39 secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County. Questionnaires, focused group discussion and interview schedule were used as data collection instruments. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistical that were frequencies and percentages. The hypothesis was tested using Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study established that most schools had not complied with the ministry of education safety standards, crime prevention measures were not very effective because cases of crime still prevailed in the schools therefore the schools were not fully prepared for student safety. The study recommends that schools should comply with Ministry’s safety standards to guarantee students safety, crime prevention practices like instituting crime prevention committee, training and putting structures in place for prevention of crime.
Key Words: Crime, Prevention, Safety, Boarding Schools
I. INTRODUCTION
Although the focus of this study is not uniquely crime and related details, the term serves as the threshold for how it relates to school violence. The simple definition of “crime” is presented by O’Brien (2005) “as any act or omission prohibited by public law for the protection of the public and made punishable by the state in a judicial setting in its own name.” Michael (2013) using the same definition explain that crime is “any behavior which is prohibited by the criminal code”. Bulhan (1985) explains violence as “any relation, process or condition by which an individual or a group violates the physical, social or psychological integrity of another person or group”. From this explanation violence interferes with proper progress of people.
