Parents Urged to Spend More Time With Children to Curb Juvenile Crime

What the report says

Mental health professional Ali M. Male is urging parents to spend more time with their children and pay closer attention to their emotional and psychological needs as part of efforts to reduce juvenile delinquency. Speaking on Salam TV’s Omukeeze programme, Male said limited parental attention, negative peer pressure and weaknesses in juvenile rehabilitation can leave children more exposed to substance use and criminal behaviour.

According to the report from Nile Post, Male said some parents, especially in middle-income households, assume schools will meet most of a child’s developmental needs. He warned that when children do not have trusted relationships at home, they may seek guidance elsewhere and become vulnerable to smoking, alcohol, drugs, gambling and, in some cases, crime. He also said some young offenders are influenced by hardened criminals and may need stronger safeguards in the juvenile justice system.

Male called for earlier intervention, including open one-on-one conversations between parents and children, family involvement in psychosocial support sessions, and quicker access to professional help before mental health problems worsen. He also said remand homes should focus more on rehabilitation than punishment and should provide better mental health support to help children reintegrate.

He further urged government to carry out nationwide research to better understand the scale of juvenile offending and identify gaps in current systems. The broader context is that child protection and rehabilitation remain pressing issues in Uganda, where families, schools and state institutions all play a role in preventing youth crime and supporting recovery.