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ABSTRACT
The high level of crime in South Africa remains a concern. Particularly, crime that involves youth offenders puts them at high risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system. Despite some success in reducing crime among youths who were in conflict with the law by means of rehabilitating them in diversion programme, some youth find it difficult to live their lives in harmony with the behavioural norms of their society and they are often tempted to deviate due to their circumstances. Although much work has been done in recent years through diversion programmes an illumination of the perspectives and understanding of youth is limited in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to examine the youths' understanding of their own criminal behaviour after completing the Youth Empowerment Scheme programme at the National Institute for Crime prevention and Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO). The study also aimed at identify factors that contributed to the criminal behaviour of youth in South Africa.
INTRODUCTION
Traditionally, the youth of South Africa is regarded as an essential asset to the nation. They are not only an extremely important resource of the state, but they are also a change agent. The youth of South Africa is perceived as pioneers of economic, social, political and cultural transformation and a driving force of change (National Youth Police, 2009-2014). However, many youth in South Africa have encountered challenges that they have been left with no choice but to participate in criminal activities. Arguably, the volatile socioeconomic conditions after 1994 in South Africa have caused many people to face various challenges that have resulted in the perception that the day-to-day challenges of living in South Africa can only be addressed by committing crime. Most disturbing is the prevalence of crime committed by youth. Therefore, one cannot ignore the fact that anti-social behaviour is fueled by various factors. For example, the criminal behaviour of youth may be influenced by a lack of parental support or the destructive environment that the child is exposed to that may turn him/her into an offender.
According to Marsh (1999), South Africa has consistently experienced crime problems and, despite several initiatives by the government to curb this scourge, the level of crime in South Africa has remained alarmingly...