The Effects Of Delinquency On Children s Life - 1657 Words

To say that America has a lot of crime would be a bit of an understatement. Each year, approximately 13 million arrests are made in the United States. Individuals between the ages of 14-17 account for 14 percent of violent crime arrests and 23 percent of property crime arrests. While these percentages may not seem staggering, children between the ages of 14-17 only make up roughly 6 percent of the U.S. population. It is clear that teens commit more crimes than adults, and that if we can reduce the amount of delinquency that occurs in the United States, then we will also reduce the amount of crime. To understand how to prevent delinquency, we must first understand what causes it. Delinquency can be caused by a number of factors†¦show more content†¦Unfortunately, remarriage does not lessen the effects of the divorce and are proven to be less stable than families with two biological parents. However, divorce or family breakup is not necessary to have family conflict. S ome married couples never get divorced but continue living in constant aggression and conflict. There is very little difference between the behavior of children who witness intrafamily violence and those who are the victims of violence and abuse. Also harmful to a child s development is the lack of skill some parents have raising their children, also known as parental efficacy. A lack of parental efficacy can lead to delinquency through the means of overly-harsh discipline, inconsistent supervision, and poor communication. Children of working mothers and larger families are at a higher risk of delinquency as well. While family structure is essential to the development of youth, just as influential are the behaviors and deviance of the family. Studies have show that a significant number of delinquent youth have criminal fathers. Unsurprisingly, delinquent siblings can also have an effect on the delinquency of youth. Of course, child abuse and neglect can cause serious proble ms for a child and lead to delinquency. Being abused or neglected as a child can increase the likelihood of delinquency by 59 percent. Being physically abused also increases the chances of committing