RETIRED policeman Leonard Johnny last Friday graduated from the University of the West indies with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His doctoral thesis was entitled, “An evaluation of the causes of delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students: A case study of St. Lucia.”
In this study, Dr. Johnny utilized components of four delinquency theories to create a new theoretical model which he named the “Four S model.” This model was used to test ten variables in an attempt to establish what causes secondary school students in St. Lucia to behave delinquently and violently. He also utilized six mediating variables to determine whether they had an effect on the relationship between four of the tested variables and, delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students.
Dr. Johnny said this study yielded “exciting” results among which are:
* Peer relationship, gender, low self-esteem, low self-control, drug and alcohol abuse, and parental practices are significantly associated with delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students in St. Lucia.
* Peer pressure greatly influenced the behaviour of secondary school students in St. Lucia.
* Drug and alcohol abuse, use of drugs in the past year and lifetime use of drugs; deviant peers and low self-esteem mediated the effects of parental practice on delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students in St. Lucia.
* 92% of the students surveyed indicated that they have consumed alcohol and 48.7% of them reported that they consume alcohol on a weekly basis.
* Secondary school students in St. Lucia are being introduced to alcohol mainly by their parents.
* Drug and alcohol abuse cause secondary school students in St. Lucia to display a low level of self-control.
Dr. Johnny previously pursued and accrued an Advance Diploma in Security Management from Stonebridge Associated Colleges, a Certificate in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Government, and a Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of the West Indies.