Crime and victimization: an exploratory study into the lives of homeless youth in eThekwini Metropolitan Precinct.

Abstract

Homelessness is one of the most global challenges characterized by its ongoing expansion and enduring nature. Its exacerbation is masked by predictable and unpredictable events like natural disasters or death of a parent/guardian, which makes it hard to eradicate or lessen. Employing qualitative research methods, this study explored the crimes and victimizations experienced by the homeless youth of Durban Metropolitan precinct. This study applied exponential nondiscriminative snowball sampling technique to select participants, with data being collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The thesis employed a theoretical incorporation of strain theory and deviant place theory. The study explored the experiences of twelve (12) participants, divided into two (2) subgroups, namely the homeless youth and NGO personnel. Four main themes surfaced around the concept of crimes and victimizations experienced by the homeless youth of Durban. The themes were drug use as a push and pull factor, the relationship shared by the homeless youth, community and law enforcement involvement, and sexual abuse and violence. Sexual abuse like rape, and acts of violence like stabbings were found to be a part of the main reasons the homeless youth get victimized in the study. The homeless youth participants highlighted drugs as the major influencer behind the criminal acts like theft that some of the homeless youth engage in. The relationship the homeless youth have with each other was another highlighted reason as to why the homeless youth get victimized, and engage in crime. The homeless youth maintain interpersonal connections with selected few people, but as a whole they are not a united cohesive community entity. The NGO personnel interviewed were from the Denis Hurley Centre. The NGO participants highlighted the services provided to the homeless youth such as health care provision and food assistance, and the challenges confronted by the NGOs. The participants also highlighted that the eThekwini municipality still provides limited support to the NGOs with helping the homeless population of Durban.