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MASS MEDIA AND ITS ROLE IN INFLUENING THE RATE OF CRIME AMONG YOUTHS IN THE SOCIETY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY    

There is no doubt that the impact of the media on young people’s lives is broadly considered within what is referred to as “media effects” debate which to a great extent focuses on the potentially negative impact of the media on young people’s lives: video violence, gambling, educational performance, mass consumerism, etc (Miles, 2000). Steele & Brown (1995) identifies three main reasons why media influence should be given a closer look:

1.  Young people spend more time with the mass media than they do in school or with their parents.

2.  The media are full of portrayals that glamorize risky adult behavior such as excessive drinking and sexual promiscuity.

3.  Parents and other socialization agents have arguably shirked their responsibilities when it comes to directing youth away from risky forms of behavior; thereby allowing the media a more fundamental influence.

The persistence and rise of crime continues to damage the social fabric of the society especially in the country’s’ urban areas. Crime is not a new phenomenon both locally and internationally but the intensity and nature of crime is different within different borders.

Crime also does not distinguish between the developed and developing countries such as

Nigeria which continue to grapple with the effects of increased incidences of criminal activities in its urban areas. An emerging trend of crime in the urban areas reflects an increase in youth participation in violent criminal activities which has been associated with the rising unemployment rates among the youth which is far more explicit in urban areas. Adebayo (2013) perceives crime as dysfunctional as it threatens the stability of society and it is therefore, a social problem that requires a concerted effort towards finding a lasting solution to it. It undermines the social fabric by eroding the sense of safety and security

Urbanization, especially in the developing world, has been accompanied by increased levels of crime, violence and lawlessness. The growing violence and feeling of insecurity that city dwellers are facing daily is one of the major challenges around the world. The world’s population is becoming increasingly urban, and three-quarters of the urban population growth occurs in developing countries. Global studies show that 60% of all urban residents in developing countries have been victims of crime, at least once over the past five years, 70% of them in Latin America and Africa. Majority of these crimes are committed by the youth as Salagaev (2003) reports that the number of young people who committed crimes rose from 80 million in 1992 to 150 million in 2000.

In 2005, individuals under the age of 25 accounted for nearly 45% of all arrests for violent crimes and 50% of arrests for murder (Watson Thompson, Fawcett & Schultz, 2008)

Awoundo (1993) in Ndikaru (2011) distinguishes between crime which is of deviant behaviour that is considered not to be a serious threat to group life and therefore tolerated; and deviance involving behaviour that is perceived to threaten the group life and needs to be punished. In modern society such behaviour is in contraventions of the penal code of the state and is referred to as crimes. According to Oculi and Mwaguri (2006), crime is a violation of criminal law from which formal penalties are applied by some government authority. In East Africa, the crime scenario is slightly different and has a spatial differentiation component. In Tanzania, for example, it has been noted that Dar-es-Salaam has a slightly different crime typology compared to the South and West African cities.

According to Gimode (2001) there has been an increase in violent crime in Africa. This crime is mainly related to the increased intensity and complexity of urbanization. Obviously, specific features of urbanization have particularly contributed to the growth of criminal violence. Cairo, Lagos and Johannesburg are the cities that feature most prominently in literature on violent crime in Africa (Albert, 1998 in Gimode, 2001). Therefore, this study focuses on the mass media and its role in influencing the rate of crime among youths in the society, using Ota local government as a case study.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There are various reasons that have been identified as influencing youth involvement in criminal activities. Most crime scene in movies has created a mental picture on the minds of youths and this has influenced them in putting into act the thing they have observed in these movies. Prior and Paris (2005) find that most of the youth are in crime because of poverty, which drove them into criminal acts for survival, Poverty has been the major cause of poverty among youths in Nigeria, lack of employment has made so many youths ideal thereby resulting to crimes in order to make hands meet; Maseko (2009) points to youth peer pressure and rebellion against parental authority; Erickson (2001) observes that drugs also lead the youth to crime; Ojo (2012) lists broken homes and low education attainment as leading to criminal activities. Agbor, Taiwo and Smith (2012) contend that youth in Africa hold great potential as drivers for economic growth through participation in labor markets and also as consumers.

However, a large youth population that is not gainfully employed can also be a liability, further undermining growth prospects. Salagaev (2003) and Muhammad (2008) agree it is primarily the outcome of multiple adverse social, economic and family conditions.. So this problems make it glaring that there is need to carry out a study on the role of media in in fluencing the rate of crime among youths in the society.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY     

The general objective of this study is to examine the mass media and its role in influencing the rate of crime among youths in the society, using Ota local government as a case study. The specific objectives are:

1.     To find out if youths in Ota local government have interest in programs on the mass media.

2.     To ascertain the kind of criminal activities youths are involved in Ota local government area.

3.     To determine the impact of crime scenes on mass media on the rate of criminal activities among youths in Ota local government area.

4.     To examine the influence of socio-demographic factors on youth participation in crime in Ota local government area.

5.     To find out the role of mass media in reducing the rate of crime among youths in Ota local government area.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The relevant research questions related to this study are:

1.     Do youths in Ota local government have interest in programs on the mass media?

2.     What are the kind of criminal activities youths are involved in Ota local government area?

3.     What is the impact of crime scenes on mass media on the rate of criminal activities among youths in Ota local government area?

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