Tobias C. Obi¹, Barnabas E. Nwankwo^1,, Victor C. Ohama², Solomon A. Agu², Ngozi Sydney-Agbor³

The study investigated perceived psychosocial determinants of female criminality. 150 respondents comprising 82 females and 68 males selected from the three (3) Metropolitan Local Governments in Enugu State were used as sample. The participants were within the age bracket of 25-55 years with a mean age of 35 years. A 15 item questionnaire designed to measure perceived psychosocial determinants of female criminality was used for data collection. Survey research design was adopted while Chi-square statistics was used for data analysis. Findings revealed that broken home was perceived as a determinant of female criminality X2= 126.84 P<.001. A significant outcome was also observed on poor parental monitoring as a perceived determinant of female criminality X2= 161.6 P<.001. Findings were discussed in relation with the literature reviewed and recommendations were also made.

poor parental monitoring, domestic violence, perantal rejection, low self esteem, feeling of insecurity, female criminality, south east nigeria