LINGUISTIC PATTERNS IN JUVENILE ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION COURT PROCEEDINGS IN NAKURU, KENYA

Abstract

Language is the primary tool for mediation between the children and those offended. While Alternative Dispute Resolution is believed to be an effective way to decongest the Kenyan courts, the issue of language used is often overlooked within the proceedings. Much of the discourse analysis is focused on adult proceedings as compared with the language used by children themselves. Juvenile justice creates a completely different environment in mediation. This research goes beyond surface- level description by applying Fairclough’s three dimensional model to the cases observed in Nakuru Alternative Dispute Resolution Courts. This research has examined linguistic choices during the sessions and how they affect the outcomes of the sessions. Language functions as a mediator and sometimes a barrier to justice for thr juvenile offenders. This research paints an image of the linguistic features practices in the Alternative Dispute Resolution courts in Nakuru, Kenya. The findings demonatrate liguistic negotiation where children employ specific rhetorical linguistic strategies like: blame shiftng, use of personal pronouns, code switching, flexibility of language in discourse,use of emotional indicators, history review,special sentence structures and shifts of levels of formality. This paper offers localised contributio to forensic linguistics by providing a deper understanding of how language shapes juvenile justice in Kenya.