DR JS MASEKO University of South Africa Department of Further Teacher Education 1.

DR JS MASEKO

University of South Africa

Department of Further Teacher Education

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Abstract  

This study examines whether treating or punishment is a

deterrence to bullying behavior in public secondary schools.

An increasing learners’ violence behavior, bullying can be

observed and is fueled through recent incidents in a school

were a group of boys raped a girl in front of other

classmates and it received intense media coverage. The

police arrested the boys and within 12 hours the boys were

released to the parents custody and psychological and

medical approaches will applied as treatment to their

diseases. The study investigates whether application of

treatment action theory is a deterrence to learner violent

behavior, or bullying in schools? The question is: what

answers the education system / justice system has for

learners who violate the law and exhibit anti –social

behavior? The project is qualitative followed by semi

structured interviews containing open questions which the

interviewee could answer in his/her own way (May

2001:123). Interviewee were seven, including principals,

educators, learners, members of School Governing Body, a

police officer and a school counselor worker in Tshwane

North. Extensive literature review was conducted to search

for answers how other countries like England, and

Switzerland deals with learners’ delinquency. Findings,

overwhelm showed that treatment theory is ineffective and

not a deterrent bullying and learner violent behavior in

schools.

KEYWORDS: Bullying, punishment, treatment, delinquency,

learner, socio education 

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Prevention of bullying in South African

Public secondary schools through

treatment or punishment

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The study explore ways of reducing learner delinquency in schools

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Research questionHow does the South African justice

system /school system addresses learner delinquent behaviour?

What sanctions are imposed upon learner delinquency?

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Theoretical paradigmABSOLUTE THEORY OF RETRIBUTION -Seeks to repay for damage / or harm inflicted by

the offence

PUNISHMENT AS CRIME PREVENTION-Serves the avoidance of potential offenders.

(Mortimer, 2002:10) Scaring potential offenders straight, or through re-socialisation of delinquent

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DEFINITION OF TERMSTeenage delinquency refers to children

who have the age of criminal responsibility.

Juvenile delinquency / Youth delinquency

Bullying is to enforce one person’s (or group) power over another person can occur in any context in which human beings interact ( Fuller 2006)

e.g. School, family, the work place, nations

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DEFINITIONDoli incapax –

incapable from telling the right from the truth ( was abolished in 1998)

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Doli incapax - Incapable from telling the right from the truth

METHODOLOGYQualitative approach

Target group – Grade 8 learners Low SES secondary public schoolsPrincipals, educators, social worker, a policeOfficer, SGB = 8 intervieweesSemi structured interviewOpen ended question ( May 2001:123)

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FINDINGS

Learner violent anti social behaviour has increased.

Bullies target pro social learners Bullies target learner who are high achievers

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FINDINGSProfessional role ambiguity

I teach Grade 8 with 45 learners. LF reported LM showed me a message from her mobile telephone with serious threats. I ask LM about and threatened LF in my present. I refer the matter to the principal. In the present of the principal LM gave LM a clap and stabbed LF on the shoulder. Police were called and LM gave LF another clap in the police station. We left LM in the police station and within two hours LM entered the school with the police referring the LM to the custody of the parents. I thought about the incident and I realized that I am also not safe in the classroom (Educator A).

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Treatment is a deterrent to violent bullies.

Is treatment of teenage criminality by psychologists

Is treatment of criminality by medical examination effective?

Punishment is a deterrent to violent bullies

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School culture vs parental culture : - The conclusion gave a perception of teenage crime in low SES as prevalent and a threat to public .secondary education - The distinct ways of legislation and policy implementation and their transfer into practice has proof to be complicated. - Research in the field might also complete and / or challenge here the findings and deepen the experience made by law makers in education as well as in the justice system

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