DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION AND PERCEPTION OF POLICE AS CORRELATES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG YOUTHS IN ONITSHA METROPOLIS, ANAMBRA STATE

The research explored the role of differential association and perception of the police aspredictors of criminal behaviour among youths in Onitsha Metropolis, Anambra State,Nigeria. A total of 400 youths from the area participated in the study, selected using clusterand incidental sampling methods. The sample comprised 276 males (61.4%) and 124 females(38.6%), with ages ranging from 18 to 41 years (M = 28.3, SD = 4.84). The study employedthree instruments: the Differential Association Scale, the Perception of Police Scale, and theCriminal Behaviour Rating Scale. Predictive and correlation research designs were adopted,with data analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The results indicated thatdifferential association was not significantly correlated with criminal behaviour (P > 0.05; r =0.080; N = 400), whereas perception of the police showed a significant negative correlationwith criminal behaviour (P < 0.05; r = -0.165; N = 400). These findings provide insights intothe factors influencing youths' engagement in criminal activities. Consequently, the studyrecommended the implementation of effective community policing to improve youths'perceptions of the police. This research contributes to the understanding of empiricallyassessing the influence of police perception among Nigerian youths and challenges theapplicability of differential association theory in explaining youth criminal tendencies withinthe Nigerian context.