Etiology of Crime: An Analysis of How Schooling in Kenya Breeds Offending and Criminal Behavior

It is impossible to explain predictors of juvenile offending and criminal behavior development using one single theory, but it is possible to recognize possible risk factors that can be directly associated to juvenile offending tendencies among children and young people. Child and youth risk factors to juvenile offending and criminalitylies within five key pillars of a child’s life: family, school, peers, neighborhood and the media. School is the second socializing agent and perhaps, the most important for a child of the 21st century, who spends substantial amount of time in this setting. Popularly known, schools are contexts where children are universally cared for supported and nurtured in tandem with societal ideals. Thus, schools are unanimously eyed as a protective agent for preventing offending and criminal behavior development. Unfortunately, many schools in Kenya have never lived up to the realization that nurturing a criminal free society is one of their critical mandates. More often than not, schools refer to criminality as a society- created problem. In separate instances, societies and schools label each as incompetent in molding morally upright citizens. Meanwhile, compelling evidence ranks schooling and education as one of the greatest criminogenic factors. Based on the sociological theory, this paper review explored school policies, public policies related to education as well as specific flows in curriculum and student management practices that could be precursors to juvenile offending and criminality. Findings revealed that schools are not any longer safe heavens. A lot of violence experienced by children occurs in this setting. The paper documents education related risk factors of antisocial, violent behavior and criminal tendencies. It urges attention in creation of safe schools, change in students discipline and curriculum management practices in order to nurture a criminal free society.