Juvenile Delinquency and Family
Structure
by
Anika Doggett
Abstract
This article attempts to explain the effect of
family structure on juvenile delinquency. The least amount of communication and
structure the family provides, the more likely the child will engage in
delinquent activities. Data for this
research were collected from a high school in a predominantly low-income area
of the south. Research was conducted
through the use of surveys. Findings
suggest that family structure does indeed both negatively and positively play a
role in the production of juvenile delinquency.
Juvenile Delinquency and Family Structure
Obviously something is going on in today’s society if more and more children are committing delinquent crimes. Sometimes a researcher has to get to what he or she thinks is the root of the problem to figure out what spawns a certain issue. What provokes a child to become delinquent and what makes the child gravitate so easily towards this lifestyle? This study explores how family life influences juvenile delinquency. Juveniles are more likely to become juvenile delinquents if there is little structure provided for them in their families.
Although there are several
influential variables, there are three main categories on which I will be
focusing that encompass all of these variables.
These categories are family functioning, impact of family disruption,
and two-parent versus single parent households.
All of these aspects of family are very crucial to the upbringing of a
child and could ultimately lead to delinquent behaviors if the family is not
functioning “properly.” Properly is defined as a two parent, violence free, and openly communicating household.
According to Wright and Wright (1994) the family is the foundation of human society. Children who are rejected by their parents, who grow up in homes with considerable conflict, or who are inadequately supervised are at the greatest risk of becoming delinquent. Immarigeon (1996) says it best when he states that justice can be better served and young people steered on the right path by involving families in juvenile crime cases. If anything would play a large part in delinquency it would be a family. Understanding how the family and how the juvenile within the family works gets to the core of delinquency.
Families are one of the strongest
socializing forces in life. They teach
children to control unacceptable behavior, to delay gratification, and to
respect the rights of others.
Conversely, families can teach children aggressive, antisocial, and
violent behavior (Wright & Wright 1994).
This statement alone could easily explain how the juvenile may end up
becoming a delinquent. Wright and Wright
(1994) suggest positive parenting practices during the early years and later in
adolescence appear to act as buffers preventing delinquent behavior and
assisting adolescents involved in such behavior to desist from
delinquency.
Adolescence is a time of
expanding vulnerabilities and opportunities that accompany the widening social
and geographic exposure to life beyond school or family, but it starts with the
family. Research indicates that various
exposures to violence are important sources of early adolescent role exits,
which means that not only can a juvenile witness violence within the family but
on the outside as well (Hagan & Foster 2001). If violence encompasses all emotionally
environmental aspects of the juvenile’s life, he or she is more likely to
engage in delinquent activities.
A substantial number of children
engage in delinquency. Antisocial and/or
aggressive behaviors may begin as early as preschool or in the first few grades
of elementary school. Such childhood
misconduct tends to be resistant to change; for example, the parents
disciplining more harshly, often predicts continuing problems during
adolescence, as well as adult criminality (Prochnow
& DeFronzo 1997).
In the realm of family
functioning there is a theory known as the coercion theory, which suggests that
family environment influences an adolescent’s interpersonal style, which in
turn influences peer group selection (Cashwell & Vacc 1996). Peers
with a more coercive interpersonal style tend to become involved with each
other, and this relationship is assumed to increase the likelihood of being
involved in delinquent behavior. Thus
understanding the nature of relationships within the family, to include family
adaptability, cohesion, and satisfaction, provides more information for
understanding youth (Cashwell & Vacc 1996). The
cohesiveness of the family successfully predicted the frequency of delinquent
acts for non-traditional families (Matherne &
Thomas 2001). Family
behaviors, particularly parental monitoring and disciplining, seem to influence
association with deviant peers throughout the adolescent period (Cashwell & Vacc 1994). Among
social circumstances which have a hand in determining the future of the
individual it is enough for our present purpose to recognize that family is
central (Wright & Wright 1994).
Referring back to the issue of
monitoring, a lack of monitoring is reflected in the parent often not knowing
where the child is, whom the child is with, what the child is doing or when the
child will be home. Monitoring becomes
increasingly important as children move into adolescence and spend less time
under the direct supervision of parents or other adults and more time with
peers. Previous research found that
coercive parenting and lack of parental monitoring contributes not only directly
to boys’ antisocial behaviors, but also indirectly as seen in the contribution
to their increased opportunity to associate with deviant peers, which is
predictive of higher levels of delinquent acts (Kim, et al. 1999).
Communication also plays a big
role in how the family functions.
Gorman-Smith and Tolan (1998) found that parental conflict and parental
aggressiveness predicted violent offending; whereas, lack of maternal affection
and paternal criminality predicted involvement in property crimes. Familial characteristics suggesting familial
antisocial behavior or values such as family history of criminal behavior,
harsh parental discipline, and family conflict have been among the most
consistently linked. In another study
conducted by Gorman-Smith and her colleagues, data show that children are more
likely to resort to violence if there is violence within relationships that
they may share with their family (Gorman-Smith, et al. 2001)
For family disruption and
delinquency, the composition of families is one aspect of family life that is
consistently associated with delinquency.
Children who live in homes with only one parent or in which marital
relationships have been disrupted by divorce or separation are more likely to
display a range of behavioral problems including delinquency, than children who
are from two parent families (Thornberry, et al. 1999). Children who witness marital discord are at
greater risk of becoming delinquents.
Previous research has demonstrated associations between exposure to
parental divorce and marital discord while growing up and children’s
psychological distress in adulthood (Amato & Sobolewski
2001). Social learning theory argues
that aggressive behavior is learned; as parents display aggressive behavior,
children learn to imitate it as an acceptable means of achieving goals (Wright
& Wright 1994).
Juby and Farrington
(2001) claim that there are three major classes that explain the relationship
between disrupted families and delinquency; trauma theories, life course
theories, and selection theories. The trauma theories
suggest that the loss of a parent has a damaging effect on children, most
commonly because of the effect on attachment to the parent. Life course theories focus on separation as a
long drawn out process rather than a discrete event, and on the effects of
multiple stressors typically associated with separation. Selections theories argue that disrupted
families are associated with delinquency because of pre-existing differences in
family income or child rearing methods, for example (Juby
& Farrington 2001).
The third major area within
juvenile delinquency and families is single parent households versus two parent
households. Klein and Forehand (1997)
suggest that the prediction of juvenile delinquency in early childhood depends
on the type of maternal parenting skills that are imposed upon the child during
early adolescence. Muehlenberg
(2002) poses the question of how do children from single parent family homes
fare educationally compared to children from intact two parent families?
A number of studies have been
undertaken which show a very real connection between delinquent and /or
criminal behavior, and single parent families. Wright and Wright’s (1994) research
shows that single parent families, and in particular mother-only families,
produce more delinquent children than two parent families. Indeed the very absence of intact families
makes gang membership more appealing (Muehlenberg
2002).
Sometimes the focus is taken off
the mother and shifted towards the father.
The lack of emphasis on the role of fathering in childhood conduct
problems is especially unfortunate given that there are several reasons why
fathers can be expected to be particularly significant in the initiation and
persistence of offspring offending. For
example, fathers are particularly likely to be involved with sons who are at
higher risk than daughters of delinquent behavior (Flouri
& Buchannan 2002). Popenoe (1997) states that fatherlessness is a
major force behind many disturbing US social problems. The institution of marriage acts as culture’s
chief vehicle to bind men to their children.
The absence of fathers from children’s lives is one of the most
important causes related to children’s well being such as increasing rates of
juvenile crime, depression and eating disorders, teen suicide, and substance
abuse. Two parent households provide
increased supervision and surveillance of property, while single parenthood
increases likelihood of delinquency and victimization simply by the fact that
there is one less person to supervise adolescent behavior (Wright & Wright
1994).
Which one of these three major
factors contributes to juvenile delinquency the most? They all seem to play a very
big role in the life of the child.
Family is very important in creating a law-abiding child. Separating the influence of these three main
categories is a challenge.
This
research utilizes two methodological designs, surveys and interviews. A group
of delinquents between ages of 14-19 were asked to complete a
questionnaire. This
group of students were chosen through availability and purposive
sampling which creates a bias because a majority of these juveniles have been
involved in the court system at one point or another in their lives. These
students were from a variety of classes from one high school but all meet in a
class for behaviorally and emotionally disturbed students.
I divided my survey into a few separate indexes, one was general information about the juvenile, the next was information about the relationship with the family and the last was to measure the level of delinquency (see Appendix 1).
Findings
The findings from this research support my hypothesis, which was the least amount of structure the family provides the more likely the child will be driven to committing delinquent activities. There were twenty-six respondents in all; 15 males and 11 females. Race seemed pretty equally represented surveying 2 Latinos, 11 whites, 12 blacks, and 1 other who was half black and half white. Twenty-three of the respondents were enrolled in school. Those students had g.p.a.’s ranging from a .50 to a 3.0 the mean average was a 2.0. The other three students were attempting to get their GED for hopes of getting a better job or perhaps enrolling in a higher education facility of some sort. The living situation varied from student to student; 9 lived with both biological mother and father, 6 with just mother, 2 with father, 2 with biological mother and stepfather, 3 with biological father and stepmother, 1 wither foster parents and 3 with some other guardian.
Of the twenty-six students surveyed, 14 experienced some type of violence in the home. Out of those students, five had been in fights where they had to be medically treated by a nurse or doctor, 13 drank alcohol, 13 smoked marijuana, 5 tried harder drugs, and 9 had stolen either monetary or material goods. Half the adolescents surveyed spent less than twenty hours a week with their family. Overall 42.3% smoked cigarettes, 50% drank alcohol, 50% smoked marijuana, and 61.5% had stolen. Of the 16 that had admitted to stealing 9 came from two parent households. Those individuals that smoked marijuana and drank said they felt like they did not have a very open relationship with their parents or guardians.
Although there were not very many direct correlations between variables in this research there were two that stood out. The students that drank alcohol spent little time with their family and had very little parental supervision. Those same drinkers also smoked marijuana. I also noticed that most of the drinkers, smokers, and fighters came from two parent households but these households provided minimal supervision and spent little time with the adolescent.
Due to time constraints I have
not been able to get to as many delinquents as I would have liked to, so my
research is lacking much data needed to make this article much stronger. I definitely need to get more. By getting a better sample size, I can make
this research much better.
Appendix I
Do not write your name on this survey. It is completely voluntary. Some questions in this survey are just there
to see what types of people your age are completing this survey.
When
completing this survey be honest. None
of this information will be reported. If
you come across a question that makes you uncomfortable, leave it blank.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Please circle your
answer or fill in the blanks when necessary.
1. What is your
gender?
a. Male b. Female
2. What is your race?
a. Latino or
Hispanic d. Asian
b. Black e. Native American
c. White f. Other ______________________________
3. How old are you?
_________
4. What city and
state do you currently live in?
_________________
5. Are you in
school? (If no, skip to #7)
a. Yes b. No
6. If yes, what grade
are you in? ---------_______
7. What is your
current grade point average? If you do not know please estimate. ____________
8. Who do you live
with?
a. Both mother and
father (adoptive or biological)
b. Just mother
c. Just father
d. Biological mother
and stepfather
e. Biological father
and stepmother
f. Other
guardian(s)
______________________________
9. What is the
relationship like between you and your guardian?
a. Positive and open
(meaning you feel comfortable talking to your guardian about anything)
b. Positive but not
very open
c. Somewhat positive
and somewhat open
d. Negative
relationship and not open at all
10. Do you ever experience violence in your home?
a. Yes, all the time
b. Yes, sometimes
c. Yes, but it is rare
d. Never
If yes, what type of violence?
_____________________________
11. Do you spend time
with your mom and dad at the same time?
a. Yes, all the time
b. Yes, sometimes
c. Yes, but it is rare
d. Never
12. Are you usually
left alone without the supervision of your guardian?
a. Yes, all the time
b. Yes, sometimes
c. Yes, but it is rare
d. Never
13.
How much time
do you spend with your family during a week?
a.
all hours that
I am not in school
b.
+30 hours
c.
+20 hours
d.
+10 hours
14.
Which family
member would you like to spend more time with?
__________________
This section is about behavior.
15. In the past year
how many times were you in a physical fight in which you were injured and had
to be treated by a doctor or a nurse?
a. 0 d. 5-6
b. 1-2 e. More than 7 times
c. 3-4
16. Do you
smoke? (If no, skip to #18)
a. Yes b. No
17. In the past month
on the days that you smoked, generally how many cigarettes did you smoke per
day?
a. 1-5
b. 6-10
c. 11-15
d. 15-20
e.
more than 20
18. In the past month how many days did you drink any alcohol?
a. 0 d. 5-6
b. 1-2 e. 7 or more days
c. 3-4
19. In the past 6
months how many times have you smoked marijuana?
a. 0 d. 5-6
b. 1-2 e. More than 7 times
c. 3-4
20. Have you ever
tried any other drugs other than marijuana or alcohol? (If no, skip to
#22)
a. Yes b. No
21. If yes, what type
of drugs? (Check all that apply)
a. Cocaine f. Huffing (wippets)
b. Heroine g. Pills
c. LSD h. Ecstacy
d. PCP (angel dust) i. Crack
e. Mushrooms j. Other (specify) _______________________
22. Have you have ever
stolen? (If no, skip to #25)
a. Yes
b. No
23. If you could put
a price on the greatest amount of goods you have stolen at one time, around how
much would it amount to?
a. $0-75 f. 375-450
b. 75-150 g. 450-525
c. 150- 225 h. 525-600
d. 225-300 i. 600+
e. 300-375
24. How much actual
cash have you stolen at one time?
_______________
a. $0-75 f. 375-450
b. 75-150 g. 450-525
c. 150- 225 h. 525-600
d. 225-300 i. 600+
e. 300-375
25. Did you regret
doing any of these activities?
a. Yes, every time
b. Yes, sometimes
c. Yes, but rarely
d. No, never
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