IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN INFLUENCING THE COMMISSION OF CRIME AMONG CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW IN BARANGAY 179,CALOOCAN CITY

Abstract

The study’s approach focuses on understanding the fundamental causes of CICL (Children In Conflict with the Law) behavior and providing helpful interventions to help them change for the better. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of social media in influencing the commission of crime among CICL at Barangay 179, Caloocan City, by examining the potential outcomes of inaction and possible preventive steps. The evaluators of the study were composed of 10 barangay officials, 20 parents, and 40 CICL residing in Barangay 179, Caloocan City, between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. This resulted in a total of 70 respondents. The researchers used a random sampling technique to select the respondents among the CICL, parents, and barangay officials in Barangay 179, Caloocan City. This research uses a quantitative correlational research design to determine the impact of social media in influencing the commission of crime among CICL at Barangay 179, Caloocan City. The researchers requested permission to conduct the study as the respondents participated in answering the survey questionnaire. The researchers distributed all the questionnaires and waited for the respondents to finish answering. When the respondents completed the questionnaires, they were collected by the researchers. The study analyzed the profile of 70 respondents from Barangay 179, Caloocan City, revealing that 51 percent were aged 15 to 20, with a male-to-female ratio of 54.29 percent to 45.11 percent. Educational attainment varied, with 20 percent having a high school education and 3 percent holding a vocational level. Respondents agreed that social media influences crime among children through psychological, sociological, and environmental factors. The primary problem identified was social media's role in normalizing or glamorizing illegal activities, affecting 11.74 percent of respondents. To address this, proposed measures include implementing educational campaigns to promote safe social media usage, such as workshops for children and parents to recognize harmful content and develop critical thinking skills regarding online interactions.