Community Youth Programs: A Strategy for Crime Prevention and Social Stability from the Perspective of Ministry of Youth Centers’ Employees

Abstract

This study examines the role of localized youth initiatives in mitigating youth-related crimes and enhancing social stability within Al-Karak Governorate, Jordan-  a context that remains underexplored in crime prevention literature. Employing a cross-sectional analytical design, we surveyed 99 Ministry of Youth employees via stratified random sampling to assess two dimensions: (1) the localization of initiatives (13 items; Cronbach’s α = 0.887) and (2) their perceived crime reduction impact (15 items; Cronbach’s α = 0.851), using five-point Likert scales. Data were analyzed via independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression. Results indicated a strong agreement with both localization (M = 3.807, SD = 0.672) and crime reduction efficacy (M = 3.985, SD = 0.563). Significant disparities emerged by experience (F(3,95) = 3.549, p = 0.017, η² = 0.10) and education (F (3,95) = 3.675, p = 0.015, η² = 0.11), with regression models identifying experience (β = 0.32, p = 0.01) and bachelor’s level of education (β = 0.28, p = 0.03) as key predictors of perceived success. Gender and marital status showed no significant effects (p > 0.05). These findings underscore the value of demographically informed strategies in designing youth programs for crime prevention. However, self-reporting bias and the cross-sectional design limit causal inferences. Future research should employ longitudinal mixed-methods designs to isolate structural drivers of program efficacy and validate perceived impacts against empirical crime trends.