COMPUTER ARTS AND TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGE INC..

COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION

Manuel T. Cea Building, Lapu-lapu Street Legazpi City.

CHILDREN IN-CONFLICT WITH THE LAW

IN SAN FRANCISCO, GUINOBATAN , ALBAY

An Undergraduate Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of
Computer Arts and Technological College Inc..
Criminology Department

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the
Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Criminology.

Gizelle B. Guadiana
Jan Patrick P. Rito
Raymond S. Miralles
Romnick M. Buenaobra

2023
 APPROVAL SHEET

This undergraduate thesis entitled “CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW

IN SAN FRANCISCO, GUINOBATAN ALBAY” prepared and submitted by Guadiana,

Gizelle B., Rito, Jan Patrick P., Miralles, Raymond S., Buenaobra, Romnick M. is hereby

approved and accepted in partial fufillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of

Science in Criminology.

Dioscoro C. Orlain Jr.,RCrim, Ph. D.

Dean

II
 EDITOR’S CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that the study entitled “CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH

THE LAW IN SAN FRANCISCO, GUINOBATAN ALBAY” prepared and submitted by

Guadiana, Gizelle B., Rito, Jan Patrick P., Miralles, Raymond S., Buenaobra, Romnick

M. in partial requirement of the Criminology research subject was edited by the undersigned.

Editor

III
 RESEARCH COMMITTEE

This undergraduate thesis entitled “CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE

LAW IN SAN FRANCISCO, GUINOBATAN ALBAY” prepared and submitted by

Guadiana, Gizelle B., Rito, Jan Patrick P., Miralles, Raymond S., Buenaobra, Romnick

M. in partial fulfillment of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Criminology is hereby

recommended for oral defense.

SELINA C. TANGCANGCO, Ph. D.

Chairman

DANILO L. TANGCANGCO,RCrim., Ph. D.

Member

IVY M. OCHARAN, RCrim., MSCJ.

Member

DIOSCORO C. ORLAIN, JR. RCrim, Ph. D.

Adviser

IV
 FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION

This undergraduate thesis entitled thesis “CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE

LAW IN SAN FRANCISCO, GUINOBATAN ALBAY” prepared and submitted by

Guadiana, Gizelle B., Rito, Jan Patrick P., Miralles, Raymond S., Buenaobra, Romnick M.

in partial fulfillment of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Criminology is highly recommend

for proposal defense, has been successfully defended in oral examination held in Computer

Arts and Technological College, Inc.

RESULT OF ORAL EXAMINATION

ACTION TAKEN

SELINA C. TANGCANGCO, Ph. D.

Chairman

DANILO L. TANGCANGCO, RCrim., Ph. D.

Member

IVY M. OCHARAN, RCrim., MSCJ

Member

DIOSCORO C. ORLAIN, JR. RCrim.,Ph. D.

Adviser

V
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers would like to sincerely express their gratitude of sincerity and

appreciation to the following persons who deeply support in the pursuance of this study.

ALMIGHTY GOD, worship and thanks to the Almighty, for his shower of

blessings from the start and throughout the day it started the study. His by our side day

first, supporting and encouraging the researchers to be a responsible students in

complying their requirements by means of his spirit keeping our faith to work the

research study successfully.

FAMILY, for inspiring the researchers to pursue their study every day. They

inspire them by providing a full moral and financial support for the compliance of their

study.

Barangay Officials, for letting the researchers conduct their study peacefully and

harmoniously in their area. Accepting them to study what the youth of their barangay is

up to. Keeping them safe throughout the distribution of the requirements they needed.

Friends, who are supporting us morally and giving us advices related to our

study. Lightens our day when we feel down and

Professors, the dean of Criminology Department and our teacher in Research,

Sir Dioscoro Orlain Jr., Rcrim.,Ph.D, and the Research Panelists, Selina C.

Tancangco Ph.D, Danilo L. Tancangco RCrim.,Ph.D, Divinaflor Abbadeza Rcrim.,

MSCJ, and Ivy Ocharan RCrim.,MSCJ.

A deepest thank you and salute to everyone, May God blessed you always.

VI
 ABSTRACT

Guadiana, Gizelle B., Rito, Jan Patrick P., Miralles, Raymond S., Buenaobra,

Romnick M., “CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW IN SAN

FRANCISCO, GUINOBATAN ALBAY”. (Unpublished Undergraduate Research,

Computer Arts and Technological College Inc., College of Criminal Justice Education,

Manuel T. Cea Building, Lapu-Lapu Street Legazpi City. 2023)

SUMMARY

This research study aims to determine the children in conflict with the law

in San Francisco, Guinobatan, Albay. This may serve as the basis for the Barangay

Council to improve their programs to address the problems of child in conflict with

law in San Francisco. Spicifically it sought answers to the following questions: What

is the status of children in conflict with the law cases along,Number,Nature and

Disposition?. What are the factors of children in conflict cases in terms of the following:

Family,Psychological ,Environmental, Social,Economic?. and What intervention

program maybe proposes to address the problem of Children in Conflict with the Law

in San Francisco Guinobatan, Albay?.

The researcher applied the Quantitative method of research in carrying out

this study. The study was conducted within San Francisco, Guinobatan, Albay and the

respondents are the Barangay officials,SK Council, Barangay Lupon,BHW,and Purok

Officials, with total number of 58 respondents.

VII
FINDINGS:

Based on the hard data from barangay and other data gathered, the

following findings of the study were:

1. Based on the certification issued on May 18,2023 by the Punong Brangay of San

Francisco Guinobatan Albay there 13 cases of children in conflict with the law

recorded in their office and these are 3 recorded cases of rape, 2 cases of theft, 2 cases

of riot, 2 cases of physical injury/bullying, 1 case of damage to properties, 1 case

influence of alcohol, 1 child abuse, and 1 case act of lasciviousness and their

disposition for cases of rape, child abuse, the child was turned over to the DSWD for

proper guidance, and for the other cases the barangay council called the Parents or

Guardians of the Involved child and advised them to watch over and guide well their

children.

2. Factors affects children in-conflict with law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay are

the family factor,psychological factor,environmental factor, social factor and

economic factor. For the family factor the indicator with highest weighted mean is

violence at home with 4.56 TWM and interpreted as strongly agree, psychological

factor is Limited cognitive abilities with total wieghted mean of 4.38 and interpreted

as highly agree, environmental factor is temperature has the highest weighted mean

with 4.05 and interpreted as highly agree, social factor is povery has highest weighted

mean with 4.53 and interpreted as highly agree followed, and for economic factor is

VIII
corruption has the highest weighted mean with 3.38 and interpreted as moderately

agree.

3. Most of the respndents selected the free educational services as a intervention

program and has the highest weighted mean of 3.93, the residents of San Francisco

strongly agree and suggested that Free Educational Services is the best intervention

program to address the problem of child in-conflict with law in San Francisco.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings, the following conclusions was drawn:

1. The children in conflict with the law in San Francisco cases is a big problem for

the community and must be adressed properly but children who are in-conflict with the

law are not at fault and should not be blamed for what they have become despite

whatever offenses they have committed at an early age. They needed proper education

and proper guidance to be a good and responsible citizen in their community.

2. The family,psychological,economic,social,and environmental factors has a big

effect on the children in conflict with the law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay to

commit a crime or offense because of unstable and unsafe life to go through, those

children are committing offenses due the need to survive and to attain their wants and

needs but most of the youth commits an offense because of violence at home,limited

cognitive skills, temperature and corruption in the government.

IX
3. Conducting free educational services for the youths is the best intervention

program to address and to decrease the cases of children in conflict with the law in San

Francisco Guinobatan Albay.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the conclusions the following are the reccomendations:

1. The Government or Agencies who hold responsibility for helping those children in-

conflict with the law should maintain on helping them or preventing them from having

a harsh future ahead of them.

2. The government, parents and the community should focus on factors that may lead

the youth to commit an offense,children in conflict with the law need to be guided

accordingly and have someone to take care of them if they have nowhere else to go,

those children deserve to have a promising future.

3. Intervention Programs should be applied in the Barangay. By implementing Free

Educational Services, the children or youths will have the chance to change and learn

that they have a future and follow what they want to become.

X
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Titile page………………………………………………………………………… I
Approval sheet…………………………………………………………………… II
Editor’s Certification…………………………………………………………….. III
Final Oral Examination…………………………………………………………… IV
Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………… V
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….. VII
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………….. XI
List of tables……………………………………………………………………… XIII
List of figures………………………………………………………………………. XIV

CHAPTER 1 - THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTINGS

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….. 1
Statement of the problem ……………………………………………………….. 7
Scope and delimitation of the study…………………………………………….. 8
Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………. 10
Definition of terms…………………………………………………………………. 11
End notes…………………………………………………………………………… 12

CHAPTER 2- REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature…………………………………………………………………. 13
Related Studies……………………………………………………………………. 20
Theoretical Framework……………………………………………………………. 26
Synthesis of the state-of-the-art …………………………………………………. 30
Gap bridge of the Study ………………………………………………………… 31
Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………………… 31
End notes…………………………………………………………………………… 33

CHAPTER 3- METHODS AND PROCEDURE

Methods Used …………………………………………………………………… 35

Respondent of the Study ………………………………………………………. 35
Data Gathering Procedures ……………………………………………………. 36
Statistical Tools…………………………………………………………………… 37

CHAPTER 4- PRESENTATION,ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF

DATA

Presentation Analysis and Interpretation of data……………………………… 38

XI
CHAPTER 5- FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Findings…………………………………………………………………………… 45
Conclusions……………………………………………………………………….. 46
Recommendations ……………………………………………………………….. 47
BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………….. 49

XII
 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1. Respondents of the study 36

TABLE 2.a Factors affects children in-conflict with the law in terms of
family…………………………………………………………… 39

TABLE 2.b Factors affects children in-conflict with the law in terms of
Psychological…………………………………………………… 40
TABLE 2.c Factors affects children in-conflict with the law in terms of
Environmental………………………………………………….. 41

TABLE 2.d Factors affects children in-conflict with the law in terms of
Social…………………………………………………………….. 42

TABLE 2.e Factors affects children in-conflict with the law in terms of
43
Economic………………………………………………………
TABLE 3. Proposed intervention program to addres Children in-conflic with
the law……………………………………………………………. 44

XIII
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1 Map of the Setting of the Study…………………………………… 9

FIGURE 2 Theoretical Paradigm ……………………………………………… 29
FIGURE 3 Conceptual Paradigm……………………………………………… 32

XIV
 Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTINGS

Introduction

Juvenile delinquency—crimes committed by young people—constitute, by

recent estimates, nearly one fifth of the crimes against p people and one-third of the

property crimes in the United States. Section 2(35) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and

Protection of Children) Act, 2015 juvenile delinquency is defined as all illegal crimes

committed by anyone under the age of 18. The high incidence of juvenile crime makes

the study of juvenile delinquency vital to an understanding of American society. The

Uniform Crime Reports, juvenile court statistics, cohort studies, self-report studies,

and victimization surveys are the major sources of data used to measure the extent and

nature of delinquent behavior. These forms of examination have generally agreed on

the following findings: Juvenile delinquency is widespread in the United States. The

majority of youths have committed some form of delinquency during their adolescent

years. Three out of four juvenile arrests are arrests of males. Lower-class youths tend

to commit more frequent and serious offenses than do higher-class youths. Minority

youths, especially African American, tend to commit more serious delinquent acts than

do white youths.

R.A 10630 is otherwise known as Juvenile Justice System Delinquency

Law enacted and passed during the time of the late President Corazon C. Aquino with

the purpose of an unwavering commitment to provide a productive and enabling

environment for Filipino children to grow safely and become useful citizens of the

country covering children from 15 years old and not below 18 years of age.
 2

These children are under the so called middle childhood, which is

classified as developmental period. The grand theorist Freud and Piaget saw middle

childhood as a plateau in development, a time when children consolidated the gains

they made during the rapid growth of the preschool period, and when they prepared for

the dramatic changes of adolescence. Erik Erickson, however, who proposed the

“eight stages of man” stressed the importance of middle childhood as a time when

children move from home into wider social contexts that strongly influence their

development.

The number of juvenile homicides has been going down since the mid-

1990s. Philip J. Cook and John Laub (1998) found that a changing context, as well as a

more limited availability of guns, helped explain the reduced rate of juvenile

homicides. Cook and Laub predicted that this changing context would continue to

decrease youth homicides in the immediate future. Cook and Jens Ludwig (2004) and

Anthony A. Braga (2003) also identified the high correlation between gun ownership

and juvenile homicides.

According to Article 37 and 40 of the convention on the rights of the child

(1989), children in conflict with the law have the right to treatment that promotes their

sense of dignity and worth takes into account their age and aims at their reintegration

into society. Teachers must be aware of children with emotional behavioural disorders.

They are characterized primarily by behavior that falls significantly beyond the norms

of their cultural and age group on two dimensions: externalizing, example is they

argue excessively, get out of their seats every now and then, hit or fight, and

internalizing. Both patterns of abnormal behavior have adverse effects on children’s

 3

academic achievement and social relationships. Children who enter adolescence with a

history of aggressive behavior stand a very good chance of dropping out of school,

being arrested, abusing drugs and alcohol, having marginalized adult lives, and dying

young Walker et al, (1990). Students with emotional and behavioural disorders are

13.3 times more likely to be arrested during their school careers than other students are.

On the other hand, 58% are arrested within five years of leaving high school.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 11188, An Act Providing for the Special Protection

of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict and Providing Penalties for Violations It

shall be the policy of the State to provide special protection to children in situations of

armed conflict from all forms of abuse, violence, neglect, cruelty, discrimination and

other conditions prejudicial to their development, taking into consideration their

gender, cultural, ethnic and religious background. The term “child at risk” covers

children who violate ordinances enacted by local governments concerning juvenile

status offenses such as, but not limited to, curfew violations, truancy, parental

disobedience, anti-smoking and anti-drinking laws, as well as light offenses and

misdemeanors against public order or safety such as, but not limited to, disorderly

conduct, public scandal, harassment, drunkenness, public intoxication, criminal

nuisance, vandalism, gambling, mendicancy, littering, public urination and trespassing

who shall not be penalized but instead proceeded in accordance with Section 57-A of

Republic Act No. 9344, as amended.

If this will be the case, children caught in this situation will be more or

less put in intervention program like the Bahay Pag-asa. Most probably, it will take
 4

time before these children will be healed of their experience. But through the help of

parents, the intervention program of the Department of Social Welfare and

Development (DSWD) and teachers, the Philippine National Police (PNP) the Public

Attorney’s Office (PAO), Department Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Corrections,

the social and behavioural skills of children will be improved and they will be

productive citizens of the country.

The study of delinquency has clearly changed over the years. Throughout

the twentieth century, delinquency studies became more interdisciplinary, more

concerned about the integration with other theories, more methodologically

sophisticated, and more focused on long-term follow-up of juveniles, sometimes for

several decades. The importance of human agency and delinquency across the life

course, both of which rose in theoretical importance during the 1990s, are generating

considerable excitement in the early years of the twenty-first century.

The main concerns of this research paper are the origins of the study of

delinquency; the emergence of sociological theory; the environmental influences on

delinquency; the biological, psychological, and sociological theories that have

influenced the field of delinquency; the interdisciplinary theories that are affecting the

study of juvenile delinquency; and the prospects for future developments. Juvenile

delinquency is a global phenomenon, and interest in comparative studies of juvenile

offending and society’s reaction to it has been steadily growing, despite the inherent

difficulties of comparing juvenile justice processes across different regions. Both

adolescence and the concept of juvenile delinquency are social constructs that vary by
 5

time and place. To know what constitutes a juvenile, or a delinquent act, requires

detailed knowledge of a jurisdiction’s social, political, cultural, and legal history.

International data in the form of officially recorded contact of juveniles with formal

institutions are scarce, and they are often limited in their use for direct comparisons,

due to divergent definitions and recording practices, or coverage of geographical

regions.

The R.A No.9344, one bill passed into law, institutionalized the

promotion of the well-being of child and their families, involvement of parents and

guardians, promotion of diversion, avoiding deprivation of liberty and protecting the

privacy rights of children.

Since 1990 the United Nations has developed international conventions,

rules, and guidelines that govern the rights of children, particularly as they relate to

juvenile justice, and these guidelines have shaped, and continue to shape, juvenile

justice processes across the globe. Almost all regions in the world have provisions to

treat juveniles violating the law differently from adults, but they do so in a multitude

of ways. Not all countries have separate systems for juveniles and adults, and in some

regions of the world informal reactions to juvenile law-breaking dominate, or coexist

with formal juvenile justice institutions. Juvenile justice systems are often categorized

according to their founding philosophies, between the poles of welfare and protection

approach on one extreme, and a crime control and justice approach on the other.

However, such classifications mask important differences between countries, and can

only be seen as broad generalizations. In order to capture the intricacies of existing

systems, and compare them between jurisdictions, a localized approach to juvenile

 6

justice is needed. It is not sufficient to describe which legal orientations or traditions

inform a system, but rather it is necessary to examine how these traditions (as well as

global trends and pressures) are interpreted by local juvenile justice administrators. On

the other hand the offender status is minor, that’s why their acts are considered to be

delinquent.

There are three man categories of juvenile delinquency: (i) Violent

crimes which results in body injury, such as assault, rape, murder etc, (ii) Property

crimes are committed when a juvenile uses violent force or threat of force to fetch the

property of others and (iii) Drug-related crimes involve the possession or sale of

illegal narcotics drugs. The juvenile are expected to be obedient, respectful and have

virtues and good quality in them, but due to various reasons children do not follow

settled social and legal dictum. Such children are most often get involved in criminal

behavior which is known as juvenile delinquency or juvenile crime. It reveals that

there has been an incredible increase in the number of children’s involvement in the

criminal offences. Criminal activities like murder, theft, rape and drinking are mostly

committed by the juveniles. Juveniles across the globe needs to be localized, pay

special attention to the specific cultural, legal, and historical context of the jurisdiction

studied, and differentiate between the law in theory and the law in practice.

UNICEF makes this urgent call today- on the 13th anniversary of the

Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act- and reiterates its commitment to promote the rights

of all children, including children in conflict with the law and children at risk.
 7

However, while the laws of the land aim to protect these children, the

rehabilitation programs remain wanting, with some reformative aspects of the

Philippine Juvenile Justice Law not being implemented well due to a lack of financial

support from the government or the absence of housing programs that should be

designed for their welfare during their supposed trials. Unfortunately, these not only

affect the success of rehabilitation, but also expose children to the risk of abuses

within the system.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the children in conflict with the law cases

in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay; specifically it aims to answer the following

questions:

1. What is the status of children in conflict with the law cases along:

A. Number of children in conflict with the law cases reported;

B. Nature of offense commited;

C. Disposition of concerned agencies?

2. What are the factors of children in conflict cases in terms of :

A. Family;

B. Psychological;
 8

C. Environmental;

D. Social; and

E. Economic?.

3. What intervention program maybe proposes to address the problem

of Children in Conflict with the Law?

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study mainly focused on children in conflict with the law in San

Francisco Guinobatan, Albay.

The respondents of this study were 10 Barangay Councils, 8 SK Officials,

12 Brgy Lupon, 14 Purok Officials, 8 Barangay Tanod, 6 BHW per Purok in

Barangay San Francisco. Other residents of Barangay San Francisco are excluded in

this study.
 9

Figure 1. Map of the Setting of Study

 10

Significance of the Study

The finding of this study would be benefited to the following:

Brgy officials - the result of this study is one of the guidelines to the step they should have

concern what the children need to avoid and prevent them from committing offense. A

clear and effective prohibition programs from all the forms of violence children can be

possible expose under the community obligations.

Barangay Health Workers – This will guide a health care approach towards health

empowerment by providing accessible and acceptable health services in the barangay level.

Parents- their children’s protection and care is one of the main important roles as parents.

An early exposed of children to violence can be one of a great impact as they grow. So this

study will give realization to parents to have a full attention and guidance to their children.

SK Council – providing a symposium program in which it develops connections and

recreational activity were they can learn social development to get along with same of their

age.

Youth – Encourage them to do well, to be more responsive and develop wide knowledge of

serving others to be a better youth and person of the society.

Future Researcher – the study would serve as a reference for future researchers.

With the results and implications, this study will be a guide in reforming the

children's behavior and surroundings. Together with community officials implementing

prevention programs and parents' attention to the children this will build them a positive

relationship, stronger brain development.

 11

Definition of Terms

The terms are conceptually and operationally defined for better understanding.

Children in conflict with the law - anyone under 18 who comes into contact

with the justice system as a result of being suspected or accused of commiting an offense.

Offense - an act or behaviour prohibited by law and therefore punishable by

law

Concerened Agencies - a permanent or semmi-permanent organization in the

machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of

specific functions.

Economic Factors - it is a complex factor referring to low income association

to several things such as bad housing, slum neighborhoods, prevalence of gangs and lack of

community organization. Low income is not, as we have seen, often a single direct cause of

juvenile delinquency, it's more complex.

Nature of Offense - is the second mandatory factor that must be considered in

determining whether a transfer would be in the interest of justice.

Intervention Program - is an intervention curriculum that is designed to

achieve an end result

Social Factors - it refers to the unstable families, and families that treat

children repressively and rejecting.

 12

END NOTES

Bartollas, C.,( 2006). Juvenile Delinquency.

htttp://Juvenile Delinquency-Sociological and Legal Aspect | Law column

Sara R., Terence P. Thornberry, J., David ., Marvin D. ( 1998, October).Gang

Membership, Delinquent Peers, and Delinquent Behavior.
Juvenile Justice Bulletin. htttp://Juvenile Delinquency Research Paper -
iResearchNet

“Philippine Constitution”,(2006,April 28). RA 9344: An Act Establishing A

Comprehensive Juvenile Justice System In The Philippines.
htttp://ralblaw.com

Becker, H.S. (1963). New York: Free Press.

https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.013.567

Johnson R., Johnson D., Wang M.,Smiciklas-Wright H.,Guthrie H. (1994).

"Characterizing nutrient intakes of adolescents by sociodemographic

factors".Journalof Adolescent Health.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolescence

Abrique, C., (2016). Case Study On :Underlying Causes of Juvenile Delinquency in

The Province of Palawan: The Contributions of Family and Peers

retrieve.https://pdfcoffee.com/case-study-on-underlying-causes-of-

juvenile-delinquency-in-the-pr ovince-of-palawan-the-contributions-of-

family-and-peers-pdf-free.html

Muratore, M.G. (2014). Victimization. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of

Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_3156
 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature and Studies

The chapter proffers the related literature and studies after the thorough and in

depth forage done by the researchers. The literature and studies adduced in this chapter

addresses the different ideas, concept, generalization, conclusions, and also the different

development related to the study starting form the past up to the present. This will serve as a

guide for the researchers in developing the project. Moreover, the information included in

this chapter, helps in familiarizing details are opposite and similar to present study.

Related Literature

Juvenile Delinquency handles with the youth below twenty-one years of age

who break or fail to do the required law. Children between 15 and 18 of age shall

correspondingly be free from criminal liabilities to be put through an intervention program.

This is systematically followed unless he or she has acted with discernment, in this case,

such child should be dealt with the proper proceedings in accordance with this act.

(R.A.9344, 2005) Types Of Juvenile Delinquency According to Rohit Bura, Delinquency

exhibits a variety of styles of conduct or forms of behavior. Each of the patterns has its

own social context, the causes that are alleged to bring it about, and the forms of

prevention or treatment most often suggested as appropriate for the pattern in question. (a)

Individual delinquency: This refers to delinquency in which only one individual is involved
 14

in committing a delinquent act and its cause is located within the individual

delinquent.

Most of the explanations of this delinquent behavior come from psychiatrists. Their

argument is that delinquency is caused by psychological problems stemming primarily

from defective/faulty/pathological family interaction patterns. (Rohit Bura, 2005)

Back in the 1900's, scientists and researchers relied solely on their experiments

and observations to address and produce theoretical claims without the use of computer

technology. With that, the use of computer technology in the modern world is acceptable in

terms of using it properly without harming other people like social media abuse, identity

theft, and so on. (Catherine Joy R. Alcantara, 2019). The causes of Philippine juvenile

delinquency can be attributed to a plethora of issues in society, with the authorities

pointing to poverty as the driving factor in pushing children to commit crimes. With a large

percentage of juvenile delinquencies consisting of theft and robbery, this assumption may

not be far from the truth. A significant percentage of children in the Philippines grow up in

environments where they are exposed to crime and misdemeanors. Children are highly

impressionable, which may lead them to recreate the criminal doings that they’ve either

experienced or seen. This is highly observable in marginalized communities, where

children may be exposed to crime and misdemeanors at a young age, offering a perspective

that it is either normal or excusable. One of the possible causes of juvenile delinquency in

the Philippines is the machinations of syndicates all over the country. Recent reports show

that syndicates operating in the Philippines are taking advantage of the statutes of juvenile

justice. Syndicates use minors as implements and shields to perpetrate crime, making them
 15

more susceptible to being used by criminals to further their operations.

(BUSINESSMIRROR, 2022) Based on maternal and self-reports, a

moderately strong association between siblings’ delinquency is found. The relationship

remains significant controlling for childhood aggression and family environment factors

measured during childhood (age 5) and adolescence (age 14). This effect varies according

to the sex composition of the sibling pair and is stronger for males and those whose parents

have been arrested. In the Philippines, where the plight of the majority of the poor remains

largely unaddressed, many places become breeding grounds for youth offenders. While

many of these children were able to rise from the rut proving that poverty isn’t a justifiable

excuse for committing crime, thousands of other juveniles have failed to get out of the trap

and are forced to break the law primarily to survive.

(Jhessie L. Abella, 2016). Juvenile delinquents should be

observed properly before condemning his unlawful acts, it is putting us in dismayed

position whenever we see youth that are under the protection of City Social Welfare and

Development, the researchers came into realization that we are luckier than them because

we are having freedom in our hand to go to school and learn the things that they may not

have learn, to feel and do the things that a normal youth and teens do that make us safe

from the judgmental eyes of society. The idea of us, having a complete family that nurtured

us since we are young and circle of friends that never implanted us any of the bad

influences, make us feel pity and at the same time the fear that the number of delinquents

will multiply in the next generations because the generation of today neglected them and

judge their crimes. That in the next generation, the youth of today that will be the next
 16

parents of the future will also neglect their children instead of helping them whenever they

commit deviant acts. Those ideas lead us in conducting this study, to disseminate the

knowledge and bring awareness to the primary factors that trigger in committing crimes of

a youth.

As Sahmey (2013), mentioned in his study, a child is not born a criminal. The

factors that affect his act and behavior varies upon their surroundings, the peer group they

have or the improper socialization that they do. It may be the parental care that lacks and

raises them to adapt the delinquent behavior. The researchers chose this certain topic

because it leads to the arousal of interests and curiosity to know what is behind the act and

crime they commit, their reasons to do such things. Due to lack of local studies in the

Province of Palawan, these reasons also lead us to conduct this study as a reference to next

studies that will be conducted. In our province where the awareness of juvenile

delinquency is not fully distributed among the citizens is also the motivation for our

objective in educating ourselves as well as the others.

(Christine Abique, 2016). Juvenile delinquency is said to be an antisocial

behavior exhibited by minors. (Quay, 1987) In the USA, most states would consider a

juvenile to be between the ages of ten and eighteen, while a few others consider up to

sixteen years of age as the limit. When crimes are committed by persons under this age

range, they are commonly tried as a juvenile and not as an adult, which poses much

difference from normal court proceedings. Juvenile tried cases are mediated by judges

instead of the usual trial by a jury of the peers. Moreover, unlike an adult case, juveniles
 17

are only said to commit “juvenile acts: in lieu of “crimes”. However, these differences may

not be recognized and implemented today if it were not for the establishment of juvenile

courts. The reason for such an establishment was mainly because of the deemed possibility

surrounding harsh treatments, which may be experienced by juveniles when tried in the

traditional judicial systems

(Morphy, 1926).A juvenile court has one main goal which is to initiate reform

among delinquent minors instead of inflicting punishments (Morphy, 1926). This is also

why they are only tried by judges instead of their peers. Courts invoke the principle of

parens patriae, wherein the judges act as parents and guardians to young offenders

(Morphy, 1926).

The first juvenile court established was in 1899 in Cook County, Illinois

(Clarke, 1961). Juvenile courts distinguish two major groups of juvenile offenders, which

are: (1) delinquent offender, and (2) states offender (Clarke, 1961). By definition, the

former is a crime for adults that are under the federal state or local law while the latter is

not considered a crime per se but only as illegal acts committed by juveniles. Status

offenses can take the form of disobedience to parents, escaping from home and/or school,

and engagement in behaviors unbecoming of minors, such as alcohol consumption and

substance abuse.

(Schreck, Fisher, & Miller, 2012). In the vast field of psychology, human

violence is a key element consequently; psychologists evaluate how the environment

interacts with the individual to result in a violent act of violence

(Jessica, Osmond, & Ballick, 2014). Juvenile violence is a key issue in the
 18

corridors of justice on a global scale. However, juvenile violence focuses on the

punishment rather than development of mechanisms that may be instrumental in prevention

and intervention at an early stage in life.

(Louis Howell Jr., 2015).The most common co-occurring mental health

disorder for juveniles is depression and delinquent behaviors. Juvenile depression

symptoms were used to predict patterns of age related changes in delinquency. Juveniles

especially females who display depressive symptoms are at greater risk of developing and

or partaking in delinquent behaviors. Approximately 76% of cases brought to the juvenile

courts in the United States of America are adjudicated delinquent. In the United State of

America approximately 1,660,700 juveniles were adjudicated delinquent in 2004. Between

40 and 60 percent of juveniles are maltreated. 5-10% of juveniles that have been diagnosed

with depression have been found to be six times more likely to commit a delinquent act.

63% of the juveniles have experienced maltreatment in some way. ADHD has not been

proven to cause juvenile delinquency. Juveniles that are delinquent have been found to

have some type of childhood depression. These Juveniles have serious mental help issues.

Predicting juvenile delinquency: The nexus of childhood maltreatment, depression and

bipolar disorder.

There is a connection between juveniles with mental health disorders and

delinquent behavior. A juvenile diagnosed with depression or bipolar is more likely to

commit delinquent behavior. Professional adults who notice symptoms of depression,

bipolar, and maltreatment in juveniles and then working with them in some cases can

prevent delinquent behavior. Top two main issues with juveniles are behavior and
 19

depression. Females have a higher increase with chances of symptoms between the ages of

11-15. As aging happens males tend to have an increase of delinquency and females an

increase of depression. Depression is a risk factor for juveniles that can increase delinquent

behavior. Delinquent adolescents with mental health problems can suffer from the two

most common issues: depression and delinquent behavior/conduct. Genetic factors

therefore account for approximately 35% of the relation between depressive and

delinquency symptoms, but do not inform the temporal ordering of symptom presentation

or the potential for using symptoms of one syndrome to predict future symptoms of the

other. Specifically, males have a higher rate of reported delinquent behavior in comparison

to females. Depression play a huge role in the possible purpose of juveniles becoming

delinquent, when the juvenile(s) begins to act disruptive on a routine then an evaluation

and intervention should be considered. (Juvenile Delinquency, 2016).

Recent years have seen sustained public and academic interest in criminality

and mental health, with attention often focused on antisocial behavior by children and

adolescents. The scale of the problem of juvenile delinquency has provoked mixed

responses from governments and the media across the world, with calls for improved

rehabilitation and support for juvenile offenders competing with voices advocating more

punitive approaches.1 Meanwhile, decades of rigorous academic scrutiny have shed light

on the complex and diverse needs of children who come into conflict with the law. 2–5

Much of the growing body of literature on juvenile offenders shows considerable overlap

between criminological, social and biomedical research, with a consensus emerging around

the significance of a developmental understanding of the emergence of juvenile

delinquency. Importantly, juvenile offenders have consistently been identified as a

 20

population that suffers from a markedly elevated prevalence and severity of mental

disorder compared with the general juvenile population.6,7 Meeting the needs of these

young offenders presents practical and ethical challenges concerning treatment and

management, including liaison with other agencies. (Susan Young, Ben Greer, and Richard

Church, 2017). Some children and youth become involved with the juvenile justice system

because they are accused of committing a delinquent or criminal act. Other youth

encounter the system for status offenses, actions that are illegal only because of a youth’s

age such as truancy, underage drinking, and running away from home. Not all of these

cases, however, are formally processed through the courts. While an estimated 2.7 million

youth under the age of 18 were arrested in the United States during a single year in 1997,

that number decreased by 74 percent in 2019. Though overall rates have been steadily

declining over the past years, approximately 423,077 delinquency cases are adjudicated

and disposed of in juvenile courts annually. Fifty-two percent (220,000) of those disposed

cases were adjudicated delinquent in 2018. (Youth Involved with the Juvenile Justice

System, 2018).

Related Studies

In line with Republic Act No. 9344 otherwise known as the Juvenile Justice

and Welfare Act of 2006, this study aims to analyze the extent of the implementation of the

law for children-in-conflict-with law (CICL) in an urban city in the Philippines, Bacolod

City. Since the law mandates that the identity of the child offenders must be protected, the

researchers were not allowed to interview and have a personal contact with the subjects but
 21

secondary data were secured through triangulation and descriptive assessment method. The

method was done by utilizing data gathered from documentary analysis, key informant

interviews, and survey questionnaires. The significant findings and perceived patterns and

observations that were revealed and established in this method will be used in designing a

youth crime prevention measure/s to ensure the successful execution of RA 9344 in the city.

Before R.A. No. 9344 was enacted, children at risk and Children in-conflict

with the law were treated much like adult offenders as when former President Ferdinand

Marcos, Sr. signed into law the Judiciary Reorganization Act 1980 which abolished the

juvenile and domestic relations courts. As such child offenders were subjected to the same

adversarial proceedings as their adult counterparts. As an offshoot of the United Nations

Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the R.A. No. 9344 intends to deal with

these children without resorting to judicial proceedings. Instead of punishing juvenile

offenders and treating them as criminals, these child offenders will be provided by the

State and the community with assistance to prevent them from committing future offenses.

(Julie Anne V. Antolo,Trixie Mae F. Perez, 2019).

There is ample research that shows a strong correlation between being

maltreated in early life and being delinquent in adolescent life. Children, who are either

neglected or have been emotionally or physically abused before they enter kindergarten,

are more likely to miss school, do poorly in reading and math, and exhibit behavioral

problems. What is particularly interesting in one study in this area is the stronger

correlation seen among minority children. There is a town in the Philippines that is

currently facing a problem of juvenile delinquency. Like most towns in the Philippines, the
 22

community is really a huge network of extended families, but with migration and a fast

population expansion, previous tight social connections are no longer present. There are

now young children who are even proudly brandishing their deadly weapons.

These children clearly satisfy their need for belonging by forming a group on

their own. The town, its school and churches, must reflect on why these children no longer

consider themselves as part of the community. It is much more difficult to raise scores in

math and reading. It is a lot easier to make children feel secure and wanted inside schools.

Of course, the solutions are not within reach if we continue to view attending school as

simply a way to get ahead in life. With such a perspective, people tend to focus more on

punitive measures that do nothing in addressing the roots of the problem. (Youth

Maltreatment and Juvenile Delinquency, 2015).

Nearly 6 million children and youth in the Philippines are at risk for the

development of antisocial and criminal lifestyles and/or some form of victimization. These

include "street" children, young victims of armed conflict, children and youth exposed to

hazardous working conditions, those who have been sexually abused, children under the

jurisdiction of the justice system, abandoned and neglected children, and children who are

being sexually exploited commercially. Brief descriptions of programs and services for

children and youth are presented under the various agencies responsible for the programs.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has mounted programs designed to

strengthen families and provide for community services that facilitate the healthy

development of children and youth.

(Simon Cornell, 2006) Olongapo City used to be a "rest and relaxation" center
 23

for American navy men for several decades starting in the 1960s until the pullout of the

American Navy from Subic Bay in 1992. (After the base pullout in 1992, Subic Bay was

converted into a free trade and economic zone and is presently referred to as the Subic Bay

Metropolitan Authority.)

The presence of the American Naval Base contributed economically to

Olongapo becoming a chartered city in 1966 through the huge dollar spending of American

servicemen in the rest and recreation industry. But with the rest and recreation industry as

the main economic activity, the city experienced various attendant social problems such as

smuggling, juvenile delinquency, drugs, alcoholism, sexual abuse and exploitation,

sexually transmitted diseases, street children, among others. An analysis of reported crimes

over a five-year period from 1976 to 1980 showed that 60 percent were crimes related to

"rest and relaxation" business operations and including snatching, theft, robbery, extortion

and drug pushing. A growing number among them were being trapped into drug pushing

and drug use and into prostitution. An earlier participant-observation study of Olongapo's

rest and recreation industry estimated that about 7 percent of the approximately 10,000

registered women entertainers in the more than 500 bars, clubs, discos, hotels, restaurants

and other entertainment centers were minors below 18 years of age. These categories of

children were vulnerable to arrest and detention by the police on charges of vagrancy, theft

and robbery. They were also subjected to some instances of extortion and maltreatment by

law enforcers. (Leopoldo M. Moselina, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF-Manila, 2012

Juvenile delinquency is a social problem in most developing countries like the Philippines.

Exposing them to streets made them vulnerable in the commission of crimes. The study

employed a descriptive method utilizing a tool to gather data about factors that deter the
 24

non-pursuant of cases committed by juvenile offenders. The study was conducted along the

streets of Cebu City wherein the respondents were the victims of these juveniles. The

gathered data were treated using frequency, percentage, and rank. The study revealed that

the victims do not file a case against the juvenile offenders due to time constraints.

Also, the study finds out that most of the crimes committed by minors are

related to snatching along the streets of Cebu City. The study concluded that the deterring

factors of the non-pursuance of legal cases against the juvenile offenders were significantly

affected by the long process of filing a legal case due to Republic Act 9344 that protects

the minors from being held behind bars. The researchers recommend further studies that

focus on the juvenile delinquents with the re-orientation programs for their best interest.

(Debbie C. Maningo, Jonathan O. Etcuban, Jasmin B Bonggot, Anthony Albofera,

Alejandro P. Alonso, Camillus Allego,Pericles Gutierrez, 2017) . Research over the past

few decades on normal child development and on development of delinquent behavior has

shown that individual, social, and community conditions as well as their interactions

influence behavior. There is general agreement that behavior, including antisocial and

delinquent behavior, is the result of a complex interplay of individual biological and

genetic factors and environmental factors, starting during fetal development and continuing

throughout life (Bock and Goode, 1996). Clearly, genes affect biological development, but

there is no biological development without environmental input. Thus, both biology and

environment influence behavior. Many children reach adulthood without involvement in

serious delinquent behavior, even in the face of multiple risks.

Although risk factors may help identify which children are most in need of
 25

preventive interventions, they cannot identify which particular children will become

serious or chronic offenders. It has long been known that most adult criminals were

involved in delinquent behavior as children and adolescents; most delinquent children and

adolescents, however, do not grow up to be adult criminals (Robins, 1978). Similarly, most

serious, chronically delinquent children and adolescents experience a number of risk

factors at various levels, but most children and adolescents with risk factors do not become

serious, chronic delinquents. Furthermore, any individual factor contributes only a small

part to the increase in risk. It is, however, widely recognized that the more risk factors a

child or adolescent experiences, the higher their risk for delinquent behavior.

(Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice, 2001). Children and juvenile delinquency is

considered as one of the problems and concerns of different countries. This phenomenon

has a growing trend in our country as one of the youngest countries in the world. This

study aims at investigating the factors affecting juvenile delinquency. This research is a

cross - sectional study performed on 250 subjects including 200 male juvenile delinquents

and 50 female juvenile delinquents aged 9 - 18 years and sentenced in juvenile institution

and tribunals responsible with addressing the children’s offenses in Tehran. The data

collection tool was an information form completed through interviews and studying the

records of the subjects. SPSS software for data analysis and frequency distribution tables

and chi-square test were used. In this study, 62% of young people aged 17-18 years were

studied among which 80% is male and 20% female. Besides, 48% of them were educated

at guidance school level and 50.8% of them did not live with their parents. The crimes

committed in order of frequency were: Theft, evil-doing, drugs, mischief, mayhem and

40.8% of them were addicted. Moreover, gender and education level as well as occupation
 26

and education level of their mothers were significantly associated with delinquency.

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on the theories of Social Disorganization Theory,Social

Control Theory and Anomie Theory. Social disorganization theory suggest that a person’s

residential location is more significant than the person’s characteristics when predicting

criminal activity and the juveniles living in this areas acquire criminality by the cultures

approval within the disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. According to Hirschi, individuals

who have strong social bonds are less likely to commit crime or delinquency. Robert

Merton suggest that juvenile delinquency occurs because the juveniles do not have the

means to make them happy.

Social Disorganization Theory

The theory of social disorganization states a person’s physical and social

environments are primarily responsible for the behavioral choices that a person makes. At

the core of social disorganization theory, is that location matters when it comes to

predicting illegal activity. Shaw and McKay noted that neighborhoods with the highest

crime rates have at least three common problems, physical dilapidation, poverty, and

higher level of ethnic and culture mixing. Shaw and McKay claimed that delinquency was

not caused at the individual level, but is a normal response by normal individuals to

abnormal conditions. Social disorganization theory is widely used as an important predictor

of youth violence and crime. Social disorganization theory suggest that a person’s

residential location is more significant than the person’s characteristics when predicting

criminal activity and the juveniles living in this areas acquire criminality by the cultures
 27

approval within the disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. Therefore, location matters when

it comes to criminality according to social disorganization theory.

Social Control Theory

Argues that individuals will engage in criminal or deviant behavior if they are

not controlled. While social control is a prominent concept in social sciences, the

criminological theory of social control is based on Travis Hirschi’s ideas (Hirschi, 1969;

Pratt et al., 2010). According to Hirschi, individuals who have strong social bonds are less

likely to commit crime or delinquency. This is why Hirschi’s theory is also referred to as

the social bond theory (Pratt et al., 2010).

Despite its influence on sociology and criminology, the social control theory is

criticized for its overly generalized view of human nature and social institutions.

According to Social Control Theory, the stronger one’s bonds of attachment are,

the less they are likely to commit crime or delinquency.An example to the role of

attachment in social control is the argument that children with absent parents develop

criminal or deviant tendencies (Hirschi, 1969; Pratt et al., 2010).

Anomie Theory

The anomie theory was first written in the 1940s by Robert Merton. Merton's

theory explains that juvenile delinquency occurs because the juveniles do not have the

means to make them happy. Their goals are unattainable within legal means so they find

unlawful means by which to attain their goals. Crime arises from the divergence between the
 28

social objectives recognized as legitimate and the limited access to the means necessary to

achieve these objectives. . Since crime in the form of innovation or even retreat or rebellion

is the result of social structural inequalities, it must be the task of criminal policy to resolve

them. Economically weaker persons must be allowed to advance to higher social strata or

at least be helped to achieve their goals. An example would be a juvenile who has had a

goal to get a job and purchase a car. The juvenile is not able to find a job to make money so

he either steals a car or he steals money to purchase a car. It suggests that people strive to

achieve culturally recognized goals, and a state of anomie develops when access to these

goals is blocked to entire groups of people or individuals. This can lead to deviant behavior

characterized by rebellion, retreat, ritualism, innovation, and/or conformity. Merton's

theory explains how anomie can lead to deviance and crime, as people seek alternative

means to achieve culturally valued goals when society does not provide legitimate and

legal means. Merton's theory is based on the idea that crime is the result of our social

structure, rather than personal background.

 29

Social Disorganization Theory

Henry Mckay and Clifford Shaw (1942)

Social disorganization theory is based on the work

of Henry Mckay and Clifford Shaw of the Chicago
School year 1942. It links that delinquency was not
caused at the individual level, but is a normal
response by normal individuals to abnormal
conditions
The
Researchers
Theory

These theories may

Social Control Theory help the community to
(Hirschi, 1969) imrpove their self-
esteem and this will
Argues that individuals will engage in criminal serve as a guide on how
or deviant behavior if they are not controlled. While they can prevent
social control is a prominent concept in social children to become a
sciences, the criminological theory of social control rule violator. By using
is based on Travis Hirschi’s ideas. these theories it will
make them realized on
what prevention
programs they can
implement to stop and
prevent cases of child
in conflict with law in
Anomie Theory
their community.
(Robert Merton,1940)

The anomie theory was first written in the 1940s

by Robert Merton. Merton's theory explains that
juvenile delinquency occurs because the juveniles
do not have the means to make them happy. Their
goals are unattainable within legal means so they
find unlawful means by which to attain their goals.

Figure 2. Theoretical Paradigm

 30

Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art

Several works of literature and studies discussed on the cases related to child in

conflict with the law.

In the USA, (Quay,1987) suggest that most states would consider a juvenile to

be between the ages of ten and eighteen, while a few others consider up to sixteen years of

age as the limit. When crimes are committed by persons under this age range, they are

commonly tried as a juvenile and not as an adult, which poses much difference from

normal court proceedings.

The most common co-occurring mental health disorder for juveniles is

depression and delinquent behaviors. Juvenile depression symptoms were used to predict

patterns of age related changes in delinquency. Juveniles especially females who display

depressive symptoms are at greater risk of developing and or partaking in delinquent

behaviors. It was stated that the depression is a risk factor for juveniles that can increase

delinquent behavior. Delinquent adolescents with mental health problems can suffer from

the two most common issues: depression and delinquent behavior/conduct.

In local literature, Before the R.A. No. 9344 was enacted, children at risk and

Children in-conflict with the law were treated much like adult offenders as when former

President Marcos, Sr. signed into law the Judiciary Reorganization Act 1980 which

abolished the juvenile and domestic relations courts. As such child offenders were

subjected to the same adversarial proceedings as their adult counterparts. As an offshoot of

the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the R.A. No. 9344 intends to

deal with these children without resorting to judicial proceedings. Instead of punishing

juvenile offenders and treating them as criminals, these child offenders will be provided by

the State and the community with assistance to prevent them from committing offenses.
 31

As the researchers is going through the process of collecting its related studies,

they fouond out that there is a scarcity on the study which is similar to the present study.

Gap Bridge by the Study

It can be noted that most of the studies reviewd dealt with the measures of

combating cases of child in-coflict with the law. Only one (1) studies were found similar

like the present one, although they differ on specific objectives, variables and indicator

used, setting and respondents.The present study is focused on the Child In-Conflict With

the law along the Number,Nature, Disposition of the cases on child in conflict with the law,

the factors that affects child in conflict with the law and the intervention programs to

address the cases of child in conflict with the law. After several studies reviewed, the

researcher found out that there are no studies conducted in the same objective. Hence, this

is the gap bridge in the study.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The institutional implication of this study would help the people and the

community in Barangay San Francisco Guinobatan Albay to be aware of Children in

conflict with the law. The research framework shows the status of child in conflict with

the law. The factors that affects children in conflict with the law and the intervention

program that may be proposes to address the problem of children in conflct with the law,

the institutional and community implications are aslo showed in this chapter.
 32

Children In Conflict With The Law in San Francisco, Guinobatan Albay

This study aims to determine the children in conflict with the law cases in
San Francisco Guinobatan Albay; specifically it aims to answer the
following questions:
1 The status of children in conflict with the law cases along:
A. Number B. Nature C. Disposition
2.Factors of children in conflict with the law cases in terms of the following:
A. Family B. Psychological C. Environmental
D. Social E. Economic
3.Intervention program maybe proposes to address the problem of Children in
Conflict with the Law.

Institutional Implications

1. Awareness of the community.

2. Model Barangay to other barangay in sorsogon
3. Strengthen the implementation of campains for the prevention of child in conflict
with the law

Community Implications
1. Responsible community
2. Risk free community
3. Productive and competitive citizens

Feedback

Figure 3. Conceptual Paradigm

 33

END NOTES

Howell, L.Jr., (2015). Causes of Juvenile Delinquency. A Literature Review

https://www.grin.com/document/310357

Young, S., Greer, B., Church, R., (2017). Juvenile delinquency, welfare, justice and

therapeutic interventions: a global

perspective. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5288089/

Bura,R., ( 2005). Related Literature Of Juvenile Delinquency

https://www.ipl.org/essay/Related-Literature-Of-Juvenile-Delinquency-

P3BPCPHESJPR

Alcantara, C J (2019). Juvenile Delinquency in Manila, Philippines.

https://www.coursehero.com/file/64300203/REVIEW-OF-RELATED.

Abella, J. L., ( 2016). Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior.

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/extent-of-the-factors-influencing-

the-delinquent-acts-among-children-inconflict-with-the-law-2375-4494-

1000288.php?aid=7191

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2001). Juvenile Crime,

Juvenile Justice. Washington, DC: The National

Academieshttps://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/9747/chapter/5

Nourollah,M., Fatemeh, M.,Farhad, J., (2015). A Study of Factors Affecting

JuvenileDelinquency. https://biomedpharmajournal.org/vol8marchspledition/a-
 34

study-of-factors-affecting-juven ile-delinquency/

Sarnecki, J., (1982). Criminality and Peer Relations - Study of Juvenile Delinquency in a

Swedish Commune. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-

library/abstracts/criminality-and-peer-relations-study-j uvenile-delinquency-

swedish

Zhang, T., (2022). Juvenile Delinquency from the Perspective of Socialization and Social

Control.https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2022/8657491/

Short, J F., (1990). Defining, Studying, and Explaining Juvenile Delinquency

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/defining-studying-and-

explaining-juv enile-delinquency-delinquency

Antolo, J A., Perez, T M., ( 2019). RA 9344 or The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of

2006: https://legalresearchph.com/2019/06/16/ra-9344-or-the-juvenile-

justice-and-welfare-act- of-2006-a-case-study-on-its-implementation-in-

bacolod-city/

Cornell, S., (2006). Effective Preventive Measures for Youth at Risk in the

Philippines.https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/effective-

preventive-measures-youth-r isk-philippines-resource

Moselina,L., (2012). Family and Community-Based Actions towards the Prevention of

Juvenile Delinquency: The Olongapo City Experience.https://www.unicef-

irc.org/portfolios/documents/488_philippines.htm
 Chapter III

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presents the research methodology used in this study, including the

sources of data, the data collection instrument, the data collection method, and the

statistical treatment of data. The research methodology or designed outlined and explained

the relationship among the research problem, the literature review, the data collection

method, the instrument, and the analysis of the research. The number of respondents of this

study and the design of the questionnaire used are also discussed in this chapter

Research Method

The researcher applied the Quantitative method of research in carrying out this

study. This method was used to gather information about the present existing conditions

bringing out certain issues and problems at the time of this study. The researcher used this

method to collect and analyze quantitative data in the study as well as it serves as a basis

for the justification of this study.

Respondents of the Study

Respondents of the study are the residents from Barangay San Francisco

Guinobatan Albay especially the Barangay officials. It enables the researcher to answer

the questions and problems that will be raised. The sample being studied is not the

representative of the population, but for researchers pursuing Descriptive method of

research design. The study has exact target of respondent

 36

to give accurate information and data that are essential to the conduct of study and data

gathering.

TABLE 1. RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY

Respondents Frequency

Barangay Council 10

SK Council 8

Barangay Lupon 12

Purok Officials 14

Brgy. Tanod 8

BHW per Purok 6

Total 58

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher aims to understand the Children in-conflict with the law in San

Francisco Guinobatan Albay. The researcher collects the hard data of the informations in

Barangay San Francisco Guinobatan Albay and collects the other datas using a

questionnaire from the selected respondents. After the respondent answered the

questionnaire, the researcher collected and tallied the data interpretation.

 37

Statistical Tool

The researchers used simple descriptive statistics for the computation and

tabulation of the gathered data. The statistical method employed were frequency count and

weighted mean.

Weighted mean. It will be used to interpret the answer to the specified problems

of the study and determine the number of cases of juvenile delinquency and its causes in

San Francisco.

For Weighted mean, the computation is:

Where:

X = f(w)N
X = weighted mean
f = frequency
w = no. of respondents

The likert scale with the following description;

Scale Quantification Adjectival Interpretation

5 4.50 - 5.00 Strongly Agree

4 3.50 - 4.49 Highly Agree

3 2.50 - 3.49 Moderately Agree

2 1.50 - 2.49 Agree

1 0.50 - 1.49 Disagree

 Chapter IV

PRESENTATION,ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter provides the presentation of statistical data relative to the

problems posted in the Statement of the Problem. The corresponding analysis and

interpretation of data are incorporated in this portion of the study.

1.The status of children in conflict with the law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay.

The researcher presents the record of Children in Conflict With the law cases according

to the certification issued by the Punong Barangay.

a. Number children in conflict with the law cases

Based on the certification issued on May 18,2023 by the Punong Brangay of

San Francisco Guinobatan Albay there 13 cases of children in conflict with the law

recorded in their office.

b .Nature of offense commited

Based on the certification isued on May 18, 2023 by the Punong Barangay of

San Francisco Guinobatan Albay there are 3 recorded cases of rape, 2 cases of theft, 2

cases of riot, 2 cases of physical injury/bullying, 1 case of damage to properties, 1 case

influence of alcohol, 1 child abuse, and 1 case act of lasciviousness.

C. Disposition of concerened agencies.

According to the Barangay council of San Francisco some of the cases rape,

child abuse, the child was turned over to the DSWD for proper guidance, and for the other
 39

cases the barangay council called the Parents or Guardians of the Involved child and

advised them to watch over and guide well their children.

2 . Factors affects children in-conflict with law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay

Table 2.a shows the results on how Family factor affects Children in-Conflict with

the Law in San Francisco Guinobatan, Albay.

TABLE 2.a

Factors affects children in-conflict with law in terms of Family

As shown in table 2.a under Family factor, the highest weighted mean is

violence at home with 4.56 and interpreted as strongly agree followed by poor parenting

skills with 3.91 and interpreted as highly agree, lack of moral guidance with 3.82 and

interpreted as highly agree, parental and sibling criminality with 3.75 and interpreted as

moderately agree.

As gathered from table 2.a Violence at home is the main indicator under family

factor that affects children in conflict with the law in San Francisco with 4.56 total

weighted mean and interpreted as Strongly Agree and the least factor is Parents with

substance abuse with 3.3 TWM and interpreted as Moderately Agree. This analysis suggest

that the residents in San Francisco is strongly agree that violence at home is the main
 40

reason why many child in San Francisco commits an offense.

Table 2.b shows the results for the factors affects children in-conflict with law

in terms of Psychological.

TABLE 2.b

Factors affects children in-conflict with law in terms of Psychological

Table 2.b shows that under psychological factor the highest weighted mean is

Limited cognitive abilities with total wieghted mean of 4.38 and interpreted as highly agree

followed by impulsiveness with 4.01 and interpreted as highly agree, Paranoia with 3.98

interpreted as highly agree, History of early Agression with 3.85 and interpreted as highly

agree and lastly Attribution Hostility to Others with 3.73 and interpreted as highly agree.

As gathered from table 2.b under psychological factors, it shows that limited

cognitive abilites is the highest possible reason that affects psychological factors of child

in-conflict with law in San Francisco with TWM of 4.38 and interpreted as highly agree.

This analysis suggest that more youths in Francisco have notable cognitive deficits.
 41

Table 2.c shows the results for the factors affects children in-conflict with law

in terms of Environmental.

TABLE 2.c

Factors affects children in-conflict with law in terms of Environmental

Table 2.c under environmental factort shows that temperature has the highest

weighted mean with 4.05 and interpreted as highly agree , followed by green space of

urban dwelling with 4.03 and interpreted as highly agree, unstable neighborhood with 3.96

and interpreted as highly agree , overcrowding with 3.8 and interpreted as modereately

agree and delinquent peer with 3.7 and interpreted as moderately agree.

As gathered from the table 2.c under environmental factor shows that the

temperature is the main cause why there are cases of child in-conflict with law in San

Francisco with TWM of 4.5 and interpreted as highly agree. While delinquent peer has the

lowest with TWM of 3.7 and interpreted as moderately agree.

 42

Table 2.d shows the results on how Social factor affects Children in-Conflict

with the Law in San Francisco Guinobatan, Albay.

TABLE 2.a

Factors affects children in-conflict with law in terms of Social

Table 2.d shows that under social factor povery has highest weighted mean with

4.53 and interpreted as highly agree followed by poor education with 3.88 and interpreted

as highly agree, while bad home condition and anti social parents have the same weighted

mean of 3.85 and both interpreted as highly agree and lastly peer presure with 3.75 and

interpreted as highly agree.

The result in table 2.d under social factor shows that many residents in San

Francisco is highly agree that poverty is the main social factor that affects the children in-

conflict with law in their Barangay it has a total weighted mean of 4.53 and interpreted as

higly agree. This implies that poverty in San Francisco contributes as a risk factor for

involving the youths into delinquency.

 43

Table 2.e shows the results on how Economic factor affects Children in-

Conflict with the Law in San Francisco Guinobatan, Albay.

TABLE 2.a

Factors affects children in-conflict with law in terms of Economic

Table 2.e under economic factor, shows that corruption has the highest

weighted mean with 3.38 and interpreted as moderately agree follwed by low family

income with 3.16 and interpreted as moderately agree, illeteracy with 3.8 interpreted as

moderately agree and poverty with 2.95 and interpreted as moderately agree.

As shown in table 2.e under economic factor, corruption has the highest

weighted means that affects the children in-conflict with law in San Francisco. This means

that some of the cases of child in conflict with the law is caused by corruption in their

barangay.

3. Intervention programs might propose to address the problem of child in conflict

with the law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay.

 44

Table 3 shows the proposed intervention programs to address the problem of

child in conflict with the law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay.

TABLE 3

Proposed intervention Programs to address child in conflict with the law

As shown in table 3 Free educational services has the highest weighted mean

with 3.93 and interpreted as highly agree and followed by sports activities with 3.78

interpreted as highly agree, bible studies with 3.46 interpreted as moderately agree,

community service 3.31 and interpreted as moderately agree, rehabilitation programs with

3.26 and interpreted as moderately agree, conduct of seminars with 3.25 and interpreted as

moderately and lastly clean up drives with 3.08 and interpreted as moderately agree.

As gathered from table 3 it shows that most of the residents in San Francisco

Agrees that Free Educational Services is the best intervention program to address the

problem of child in-conflict with law in San Francisco.

 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of the summary of findings, conclusion, and

recommendations.

FINDINGS:

Based on the hard data from barangay and other data gathered, the following findings of

the study were:

1. Based on the certification issued on May 18,2023 by the Punong Brangay of San

Francisco Guinobatan Albay there 13 cases of children in conflict with the law recorded in

their office and these are 3 recorded cases of rape, 2 cases of theft, 2 cases of riot, 2 cases

of physical injury/bullying, 1 case of damage to properties, 1 case influence of alcohol, 1

child abuse, and 1 case act of lasciviousness and their disposition for cases of rape, child

abuse, the child was turned over to the DSWD for proper guidance, and for the other cases

the barangay council called the Parents or Guardians of the Involved child and advised

them to watch over and guide well their children.

2. Factors affects children in-conflict with law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay are the

family factor,psychological factor,environmental factor, social factor and economic factor.

For the family factor the indicator with highest weighted mean is violence at home with
 46

4.56 TWM and interpreted as strongly agree, psychological factor is Limited cognitive

abilities with total wieghted mean of 4.38 and interpreted as highly agree, environmental

factor is temperature has the highest weighted mean with 4.05 and interpreted as highly

agree, social factor is povery has highest weighted mean with 4.53 and interpreted as

highly agree followed, and for economic factor is corruption has the highest weighted

mean with 3.38 and interpreted as moderately agree.

3. Most of the respndents selected the free educational services as a intervention program

and has the highest weighted mean of 3.93, the residents of San Francisco strongly agree

and suggested that Free Educational Services is the best intervention program to address

theproblem of child in-conflict with law in San Francisco.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings, the following conclusions was drawn:

1. The children in conflict with the law in San Francisco cases is a big problem for the

community and must be adressed properly but children who are in-conflict with the law are

not at fault and should not be blamed for what they have become despite whatever offenses

they have committed at an early age. They needed proper education and proper guidance to

be a good and responsible citizen in their community.

 47

2. The family,psychological,economic,social,and environmental factors has a big effect

on the children in conflict with the law in San Francisco Guinobatan Albay to commit a

crime or offense because of unstable and unsafe life to go through, those children are

committing offenses due the need to survive and to attain their wants and needs but most of

the youth commits an offense because of violence at home,limited cognitive skills,

temperature and corruption in the government.

3. Conducting free educational services for the youths is the best intervention program to

address and to decrease the cases of children in conflict with the law in San Francisco

Guinobatan Albay.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the conclusions the following are the reccomendations:

1. The Government or Agencies who hold responsibility for helping those children in-

conflict with the law should maintain on helping them or preventing them from having a

harsh future ahead of them.

2. The government, parents and the community should focus on factors that may lead the

youth to commit an offense,children in conflict with the law need to be guided accordingly

and have someone to take care of them if they have nowhere else to go, those children

deserve to have a promising future.

3. Intervention Programs should be applied in the Barangay. By implementing Free

Educational Services, the children or youths will have the chance to change and learn that

they have a future and follow what they want to become.

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