AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF POVERTY ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG YOUTHS

ABSTRACT: Criminal behavior could be seen as a fault of the social system whose institutions do not work equally for all its members. This phenomenon has become a recurrent problem in Nigeria among youths, despite concerted efforts made by government, international and Non-Governmental Youths to curb the menace in the Country. This study which sought to establish the impact of poverty on criminal behavior among youths in Nigeria is an attempt to address the root cause of the problem. The research was carried out within the ambit of Relative Deprivation Theory and adopted both primary and secondary types of data collection using simple descriptive statistics techniques to generate data for the study through structured interview and questionnaire. The study which interrogated the interface between poverty and the prevalence of criminal behavior in Nigeria. The research recommends that a comprehensive synergy involving Government and relevant stakeholders targeted at alleviating poverty will effectively tackled the prevalence of criminal behavior among youths in Nigeria. Other recommendations include strengthening the capacity of NAPTIP, relevant law enforcement agencies and traditional institutions to co-ordinate and sustain a strong security network that will identify, report, arrest and prosecute Criminals and other offenders; serve as a deterrent and check the prevalence of criminal behavior in Nigeria. In addition, the study recommends that the teaching and promotion of Nigeria’s history, national core values of patriotism and nationalism should be given priority and inculcated in the national school curriculum in order to encourage the youths and the entire people of Nigeria to believe in themselves and the country and discourage the excessive quest for illegal activities.