الفهرس 
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Abstract
Juvenile delinquency is defined as any crime committed by
children and adolescents under statutory age. A juvenile
delinquent is one who is a minor with major problems.
Generally, any person between the ages of 7 to 18, who violates
the law, is considered as delinquent and persons above this age
are considered as criminals (Siegel and Brandon, 2011). The
most greatest risk of falling into juvenile delinquency are rapid
population growth, the unavailability of family support services,
unemployment, the decline in the authority of local
communities, ineffective educational systems and discrimination
against minority groups (Aaron and Dallaire, 2010).
The number of children in especially difficult
circumstances is estimated to have increased from 80 million to
150 million between 1992 and 2000 and from 150 million to
more than 200 million between 2000 and 2010 all over the
world (Harnsberger, 2011). In Egypt more than 25,202 juvenile
delinquents involved 24,648 males and 554 females in custody,
social care institutions, social offices and observation offices all
over the country. There are only 3,570 juvenile delinquents in
custody and social care institutions, 3,105 males and 465
females (Egyptian Ministry of Society Solidarity, 2012).
In accordance to (World Health Organization, 2010)
juvenile delinquents face several problems in their dealings with
others inside the social institution for punishing and
rehabilitation. Problems that face juvenile delinquents are
divided into physical, psychological and social problems.
Physical problems are such as acute illness, chronic physical
conditions and communicable diseases. Psychological and
mental problems as stress, transitory life style, poor
relationships with others, child abuse, withdrawal and lying
escape from the institution. Social problems as illiteracy, violent
environment, neglect, smoking, discrimination, lack of
accessible resources, physical and sexual assault.
Aim of the Study:
This study aims to assess the health status of
institutionalized juvenile delinquents through:
- Assessing the socio-demographic characteristics of
juvenile delinquents.
- Assessing the health status of juvenile delinquents
(physical, psychological and social).
- Identifying the factors related to juvenile delinquency.
- Assessing the environment of the social care institutions
of juvenile delinquency regarding punishment and
rehabilitation activities.
Research questions:
1. What is the health status of the juvenile delinquents?
2. What are the factors related to juvenile delinquency?
3. Is the social care institutions’ environment appropriate for
the juvenile delinquents’ rehabilitation?
Research setting:
This purposive study was conducted at the 5 selected
Egyptian social care institutions (El Marg institution for males
and El Agouza, Ain Shams, Dar El Aman in Embaba and Kobri
el Kobba institutions for females). Those institutions are the
most crowding ones in Egypt and serve big numbers of juvenile
delinquents coming from all over the country.
Sampling:
A purposive sample consists of 318 participants (248
males, and 70 females) from the juvenile delinquents inside the
5 selected social care institutions: 248 boys from El Marg
Custodial and Social Care Institution for males, 32 girls from El
Agoza Social Care Institution for females, 22 girls from Ain
Shams Social Care Institution for females, 10 girls from Kobry
El Kobba Social Care Institution for females and 6 girls from
Dar El Aman Social Care Institution for females in Embaba.
Tools for data collection:
The data will be collected through the following tools:
First tool:
Juvenile delinquents’ record analysis for assessing sociodemographic
characteristics as regards name, age, sex,
educational stage, crime committed type, family type and
scholastic achievement.
Second tool:
Questionnaire for assessing the following parts:
A- Past and current health history related to acute and chronic
health problems, surgery, hospitalization, drugs used
continuously, injuries, accident and communicable
diseases.
B- Child health habits and life style as regards sleep pattern,
sporting, smoking and nutrition/drinking preferences.
Third tool:
Questionnaire for assessing the following parts:
A- Physical examination of the child from head to toe
including weight, height and signs of somatic abuse
(Wong, 2007).
B- Psychological assessment of children self esteem using
self esteem scale for children developed by (Eldosoki and
Mosa, 1987).
C- Assessment of children social status using antisocial
behavioral scale adopted by (Abdel Daiem, 2009).
Fourth tool:
An observational checklist for assessing the social care
institutions’ environmental condition related to buildings,
cleanliness, ventilation, sewage disposal, lighting, garbage,
crowding index of rooms, classes, canteen, health care clinic and
water supply.
Ethical consideration:
All ethical considerations were considered for ensuring the
juveniles’ privacy and confidentiality of the collected data
during the study. The purpose and nature of the study were
explained for the participants and oral agreement was taken to
gain their participation after being informed that each study
subject is free to withdrawal at any time through the study. All
selected study sample agreed to participate in the study and they
were assured that the study would posed no risks or hazards on
their social, psychological or physical health.
Pilot Study:
A pilot study was conducted at the beginning of the study.
It carried out on 32 cases or 10% of the total sample to
investigate the feasibility of data collection tools for their
content validity, clarity and simplicity. Some questions were
added (e.g. child health habits and child health history). It took
about one month from July to August (2013). Subjects included
in the pilot study were excluded from the actual study sample.
Statistical design:
Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social
Science (SPSS) version 16. Qualitative data was presented as
number and percent. Relations between different qualitative
variables were tested using Chi-square test (X2). Probability (pvalue)
< 0.05 was considered significant and < 0.001 was
considered highly significant.
Results:
The results of the present study could be summarized as
following:
39.6% of the JDs ’ family residence were in rural or slumareas.
78.2% of males compared with 84.3% of females left
school before admission; 32.4% from the total sample left
schools because they were hating it.
51.9% of JDs had illiterate fathers and 64.1% had illiterate
mothers.
83.3% of JDs were smoking and 54% of them were
sometimes using drugs.
14.3% were sometimes practicing homosexual activities
and 38.6% were sometimes practicing masturbation with a
statistical significant difference between males and
females.
chronic diseases especially different types of allergy were
common among 74.3% of females and 39.3 % of all
children.
95% of JDs suffered acute diseases and 14.5% of juveniles
complains backache with a statistical significant difference
between males and females.
Physical examination results revealed that 61.6% of the
JDs suffered skin problems and 55% suffered mouth
problems.
Injuries and signs of somatic abuse were common among
all JDs, wounds were common among 51.3% children,
fractures were 50.6% and burns were 34.9%.
37.7% from the total sample had average self-esteem and
42.8% of JDs had high general antisocial behaviors.
Institutional rooms’ crowding index was 40% crowded and
classes were 20% crowded but, institutional cleanliness
levels and environmental sanitation were 100% suitable
and sanitary.
Medical and paramedical staff in the institutions’ health
clinic were 100% insufficient and the medical services
were 60% incompletely applied.
There was a highly statistical significant relation between
the JDs’ crimes and the general antisocial behaviors, where
X2= 18.136 respectively of P <0.001.
There was a statistical significant relation between the
JDs’ institutional crowding index and their acute diseases,
where X2= 6.769 respectively of P <0.05.
Conclusion:
Based on the findings of the present study, the conclusion
included:
The male rate was 78% which showed that the highest rate
among JDs were males. The main factor of JD which was
observed obviously in this study was the family problems which
most of the studied sample of the JDs were living with low
family support, unsuitable parents’ occupation status, low
socioeconomic status with a minimum level of coping to deal
with all life’s stresses, inadequate parental supervision pattern in
addition to low educational level. Average self-esteem level was
the common psychological status indicator among the
institutionalized JDs. High general antisocial behaviors were
most common among them. Study sample was affected by many
main physical health problems as skin, mouth and eye problems
and injuries and signs of somatic abuse were observed in all the
institutionalized JDs as wounds, fractures and burns. The
environment of the social care institutions of JD regarding
punishment and rehabilitation activities was unsuitable to meet
the rehabilitative needs of the JDs.
Recommendations:
The findings of this study projected the needs for:
Community health nurse, medical and paramedical staff to
conduct 24 hours health services for juvenile delinquents
inside the institutions.
Periodic physical examination and screening for early
identification and detection of health problems and prompt
intervention.
Providing the juvenile delinquents with health education
about good life style.
Providing adequate nursing care for juvenile delinquents with
chronic illnesses as diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, skin
allergy and parasitic infestation.
Establishing referral system to the resources of assistance in
physical, psychological and emergency services.
Ensuring safe and secured environment with appropriate
safety measures, crowding, living furniture and free from
waste products.