Charesma Grace K. Lud-ayen, Lovella V. Torres, Jezreel B. Vicente, Rhescien Mae B. Vicente
Graduate School, School of Criminal Justice and Public Safety
ABSTRACT
Theft committed by children is not a standard norm and should be addressed legally and strategically. The study is qualitative descriptive, assessed the factors and present intervention programs of the Baguio City Social Welfare Department Office regarding the push factors among children in committing theft in Baguio City. The study investigated the profile of the children committing theft in terms of age, gender, educational attainment, and type of family; factors that influence those children to commit theft in terms of personal, family, peers, and social factors. As the output of the study, an intervention program was crafted. The participants of the study were five police investigators from the Women and Children Protection Desk Center; one Baguio City Social Welfare and Development Office social worker; two Children in Conflict with the Law. A validated survey questionnaire, supported by interviews, was used to gather the data. The study revealed that the age of those committing theft in Baguio ranged from 15-17, most are males, freshmen, and sophomores in the secondary level. The children belong to a broken family and/or separated parents.The desire for possession of gadgets,forsurvival, having a broken family, lack of communication, the influence of peers, to attain the status of friends, and to sustain craving for online games were among the factors of theft among children. The intervention program named “Ang Pagkakamali Ng Anak, Kayang Itama Ng Magulang” is offered for adoption to address the findings of the study.
Keywords: Theft, Children-in-Conflict with the Law, Intervention Programs, Social Welfare and Development, Baguio City
