Rehabilitation of Juvenile Offenders in Ghana

Abstract

The primary purpose of this article is to examine the sociocultural contexts of delinquency and the rehabilitation of youthful offenders within the nexus of the extended family system in Ghana. The article also assesses the impact of British colonization on the system of juvenile justice. The investigation showed that juvenile delinquency is very low. Gang activities exist in the transitional areas of major urban centers such as Accra and Kumasi. The low involvement of youths in law violation can be attributed to the anchors provided to youth by extended family relations and the integration of youth in the economic production system. The rehabilitation of youthful offenders is undertaken by extended family relatives. In recent times, however, the role of the extended family in tie rehabilitation of youthful offenders has been weakened by the establishment of the borstal institutes, a legacy of the era of British colonization.