Effects of Police Operational Factors in Managing Juvenile Gang Crime in Kisauni Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

For many years, Kisauni has always been known as a crime zone with Juvenile criminal gangs terrorizing the residents. Despite the Kenya police service presence, crime is still on the increase than decrease trend.  Hence this paper sought to examine the effect of operational factors in managing of Juvenile gang crime. The research was predicated on a case study research design.  The study comprised of 288 main respondents and used interview method to collect data which was analyzed using NVIVO software. Descriptive statistics such as use of histogram was used to present data while content analysis was used to interpret data and presented it using verbatim quotes. Operational factors such as poor communication network, systemic corruption in the police department and political influence, inadequate training of officers and poor transport network were found to affect the Kenya police service officers responses in managing juvenile gang crimes in Kisauni sub county. Major recommendations made by this study include legal and policy frameworks that tame activities of Juvenile criminal gangs whose networks are transnational in nature, Strengthening the police- community collaboration in the spirit of community policing, increase police funding to facilitate police operations, increase police training reforms, indulgence of non-governmental organizations in wealth and job creations for the youth and in eradication of poverty.