 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
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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 question
How does the South African justice system
/school system addresses learner delinquent
behaviour?
What sanctions are imposed upon learner
delinquency?
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Theoretical paradigm
ABSOLUTE 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 TERMS
Teenage 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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DEFINITION
 Doli incapax – incapable
from telling the right
from the truth ( was
abolished in 1998)
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DEFINITION
Doli incapax
- Incapable from telling the right from the truth
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METHODOLOGY
Qualitative approach
Target group – Grade 8 learners
 Low SES secondary public schools
Principals, educators, social worker, a police
 Officer, SGB = 8 interviewees
Semi structured interview
Open 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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FINDINGS
Professional 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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FINDINGS
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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CONCLUSION
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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