Bullying and Victimization in Juvenile Justice Institution: Does the environment matter?

This study primarily seeks to investigate the extent of bullying and victimization in the juvenile justice institutions. It investigates the dimensions of institutional environments and explores which dimensions relate to... [ view full abstract ]

This study primarily seeks to investigate the extent of bullying and victimization in the juvenile justice institutions. It investigates the dimensions of institutional environments and explores which dimensions relate to bullying behaviors. The project focused on two hundred and eighty nine male and female young offenders aged 12 to 21 years old, in eight juvenile institutions in Malaysia. The research collected quantitative and qualitative data using a mixed-method approach. All participants completed the scale version of Direct and Indirect Prisoner behavior Checklist (DIPC-SCALED) and the Measuring the Quality of Prison life (MQPL). In addition, twenty-four interviews were carried out which involved sixteen young offenders and eight institutional staff. The findings showed that 95 per cent reported at least one behavior indicative of bullying others in the past month, and 99 per cent reported at least one behavior indicative of being bullied. The DIPC-SCALED scored significantly higher on the verbal sub-scale. In addition, institutional dimensions such as respect, bureaucracy, fairness and family showed significant relation to the bullying behavior. In the interviews, the young offenders identified circumstances on how these dimensions reflect the choices and decisions in bullying others. It shows bullying behavior is induced by a sense of powerlessness and moral degradation, and the awareness of potential negative consequences of the behavior weakens the likelihood of bullying others. These findings are discussed within the context of delinquency theories, and their practical implications are considered.