Responses to delinquency in Hong Kong secondary schools: Towards an integrative approach

Responses to delinquency in Hong Kong secondary schools: Towards an integrative approach

• Chun, Roxco Ping Kit

2006

• N Students & Student Services
  • NH Guidance, Counselling & School Social Work
• N Students & Student Services
  • NG Student Discipline

Juvenile Delinquency - China - Hong Kong School Discipline - China - Hong Kong Social Integration - China - Hong Kong High School Students - China - Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Secondary Education

This study aims to explore the discipline masters’ and school social workers' perception of delinquency in secondary schools in Hong Kong, in terms of its prevalence and causation and the responses of the school system to it. Twelve secondary schools with a balanced mix of different bands, nature of governance, location and sex composition were studied, using a multiple-case study method. The two key actors of each school, namely the discipline master and the school social worker, were interviewed to identify the landscape of delinquency in their schools, and their theorization and responses to it.
All the schools under study are found to be faced with the problem of delinquency, though in varying degrees and forms. They regarded anti-authority behaviours directed at the teachers as most serious. Concerning the attribution of causes of delinquency however, the school authorities are not quite aware of the school being a cause of, rather than a solution to, delinquency when it adopts labelling and oppressive measures. It is further found that all the schools emphasized uniformity, standardization, hierarchical authority and discipline. The overuse of power against students, often disguised as the need for discipline, was prevalent among most of them. Their students were often labelled, which in turn accentuated their delinquent behaviours. It is thus concluded that schools are more prone to over-control rather than losing control in dealing with such behaviours.
This study shows the responses of the schools to delinquency vary. According to the school social workers interviewed, seven schools were described as non-punitive, four schools as punitive and one as permissive. Those schools, described as non-punitive exhibited more elements of collaboration, humanization, legitimization, restoration and education in their responses to delinquency. While these positive elements existed, they were not consistently and systematically applied, showing that these schools were not guided by a comprehensive framework in their responses to delinquency. Hence, there is a need for a synthesis of positive approaches under an integrative vision.
Braithwaite's reintegrative shaming theory is recommended in this study as a base for building up of such an integrative approach to delinquency. The school system, unlike the impersonal, punitive formal justice system, is in a better position to adopt a positive approach that can integrate the students into the school community, through the conjoint effort of all stakeholders including the students. When the integrative vision is strong and clear, it can then hold the control mechanism in its proper place. The efforts recommended can include minimization of punishment, reinforcement of the legitimacy of the discipline system by involving all the stakeholders, provision of favourable opportunities and use of restorative measures.
The study concludes that while the social control function of the school system is inevitable, maintenance of discipline and order advanced on the basis of social integration is possible and is to be preferred.

PhD

University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

• English

Dissertation Theses

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/190840a1

2010-12-16