[dropcap]D[/dropcap]r. Leonard Johnny, a retired policeman from the Royal St. Lucia Police Force residing in Choiseul, has graduated from the University of the West indies with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His doctoral thesis entitled, “An Evaluation of the Causes of Delinquency and Violence Displayed by Secondary School Students: A Case Study of St. Lucia,” investigated two main aspects of behavioral patterns in delinquents.
The case study focused on delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students in St. Lucia and the mediating role of specific variables on the relationship between some of the tested variables and delinquency and violence. As part of his study, Dr. Leonard Johnny utilized components of four delinquency theories to create a new theoretical model which he named the “Four S model.” This model was used to test ten variables in an attempt to establish what causes secondary school students in St. Lucia to behave delinquently and violently. He also utilized six mediating variables to determine whether they had an effect on the relationship between four of the tested variables and, delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students. This new model can be used within the wider region and/ or globally to test for the causes of delinquent and violent behavior. Dr. Johnny’s study yielded intriguing results:
• Peer relationship, gender, low self-esteem, low self-control, drug and alcohol abuse, and parental practices are significantly associated with delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students in St. Lucia.
• Peer pressure greatly influenced the behaviour of secondary school students in St. Lucia.
• Drug and alcohol abuse, the use of drugs in the past year and lifetime use of drugs mediated the effects of self-esteem on delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students in St. Lucia.
• Drug and alcohol abuse, use of drugs in the past year and lifetime use of drugs; deviant peers and low self-esteem mediated the effects of parental practice on delinquency and violence displayed by secondary school students in St. Lucia.
• Males who attend secondary schools appeared to be more delinquent and violent than females • 92 percent of the students surveyed indicated that they have consumed alcohol and 48.7 percent of them reported that they consume alcohol on a weekly basis.
• Secondary school students in St. Lucia are being introduced to alcohol mainly by their parents.
• The use of alcohol is more common than the use of drugs among secondary school students in St. Lucia.
• Drug and alcohol abuse cause secondary school students in St. Lucia to display a low level of self-control.
• Secondary school students have problems controlling themselves because they cannot control their anger.
Dr. Leonard Johnny previously pursued and accrued an Advance Diploma in Security Management from Stonebridge Associated Colleges, a Certificate in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Government, and a Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from The University of the West Indies.
