Patterns of victimization in Ghana’s Senior Correctional Center: The experiences of juvenile offenders

Abstract

Victimization is considered a serious issue which affects children across the globe and this is particularly accentuated in the prison environment Research on prison victimization and psychological health, however, has primarily focused on adult prisoners. There is little documentation on how victimization impacts the psychological health of juvenile offenders in correctional facilities. This article, therefore, explores the experiences of victimization among juvenile offenders in the Senior Correctional Center, Ghana. A total of 20 juvenile offenders were purposively sampled from Ghana’s Senior Correction Center. Using thematic analysis, three themes were generated and discussed: forms of victimization, causes of victimization and impacts of victimization. It was revealed that, besides taking the form of either direct or indirect physical assault, victimization also manifested in the form of verbal assault. Moreover, victimization was found to usually occur when young offenders direct their built-up frustrations at others or when victims possess specific attributes that make them targets. The various forms of victimization experienced by these young offenders impacts their well-being physically and psychologically and socially. It is recommended that stakeholders practice stress management exercises and establish a buddy system for juvenile offenders in the correctional facility