Delinquent Child
It is believed that in order to obtain the perfect child you must have raised the child with both parental units. This is believed because it is reported that 85% of children in a fatherless home experience behavioral problems (Parker, 2010). These behavioral problems are likely to cause problems in delinquency. With all of these statistics it brings the question, are there more factors at play? There are several factors that contribute along with the problems associated with an uninvolved parent that help foster a delinquent child: genetics, environment, and overall parenting style.
Genetics play a fairly large role in determining delinquency before the child is even old enough to exhibit signs. More so than determining …show more content…
The family, peers, and neighborhoods, as well as the socioeconomic status that influences these behaviors. In the case of the family it is regularly seen that fathers rarely see their children (Mercer, 2013). Fathers that do not see their children have a higher rate of divorce, which in turn leads to the idea of the “fatherless home” (Mercer, 2013). During divorce it is customary that the mother hold primary custody. 144 families in Virginia were sampled during a study on divorce and its effect on child development. Half of the children were from divorced families with the mother holding primary custody and the other half were from non-divorce families. A year post divorce the divorced children experienced emotional distress and behavioral problems (Smith, 2011). Divorce is hard on any child, emotionally as well as physically add in the other factors and it is no wonder that 33% of the 85% of juvenile delinquents come from a divorced home (Parker, 2010). Economically the lower socioeconomic statuses have been seen to live in lower income housing. In these types of situations it is typically seen the neighborhoods are unorganized. These neighborhoods have weak social control, are isolated, and also a high turnover rate (Herrenkohl , 2001). This isolation by the neighbors allows for criminal activity to go unseen or if seen to go unreported. Peer influence also plays a …show more content…
If a child still has a percentage to become delinquent coming from the two parent home, we must now question the parenting. There are four parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved. Authoritative parents listen to their children, encourage independence, parent and provide limits without losing warmth. Authoritarian parents have strict rules, high expectations, lack warmth and are very demanding. Permissive parents are exactly the opposite or authoritarian. Permissive parents provide no rules and usually very nurturing but not at all strict. Lastly uninvolved parents are neglectful and do not parent at all. This type of parent simply is not there and is neglectful. Leslie Simons and Rand Conger (2007) conducted a study that tested 451 families in order to address this question. The study investigated the extent to which the parenting styles effected the child’s adolescent outcome. The most common practice found was the mother and father shared the same parenting style. Authoritative parents were found to have the best positive outcome (Simons & Conger (2007). Even having one authoritative parent is optimal for dodging delinquency. In addition to those findings it also is suggested that adolescents with two authoritative parents have more of an interest in school and extrinsic goals rather than authoritarian parents that
It is believed that in order to obtain the perfect child you must have raised the child with both parental units. This is believed because it is reported that 85% of children in a fatherless home experience behavioral problems (Parker, 2010). These behavioral problems are likely to cause problems in delinquency. With all of these statistics it brings the question, are there more factors at play? There are several factors that contribute along with the problems associated with an uninvolved parent that help foster a delinquent child: genetics, environment, and overall parenting style.
Genetics play a fairly large role in determining delinquency before the child is even old enough to exhibit signs. More so than determining …show more content…
The family, peers, and neighborhoods, as well as the socioeconomic status that influences these behaviors. In the case of the family it is regularly seen that fathers rarely see their children (Mercer, 2013). Fathers that do not see their children have a higher rate of divorce, which in turn leads to the idea of the “fatherless home” (Mercer, 2013). During divorce it is customary that the mother hold primary custody. 144 families in Virginia were sampled during a study on divorce and its effect on child development. Half of the children were from divorced families with the mother holding primary custody and the other half were from non-divorce families. A year post divorce the divorced children experienced emotional distress and behavioral problems (Smith, 2011). Divorce is hard on any child, emotionally as well as physically add in the other factors and it is no wonder that 33% of the 85% of juvenile delinquents come from a divorced home (Parker, 2010). Economically the lower socioeconomic statuses have been seen to live in lower income housing. In these types of situations it is typically seen the neighborhoods are unorganized. These neighborhoods have weak social control, are isolated, and also a high turnover rate (Herrenkohl , 2001). This isolation by the neighbors allows for criminal activity to go unseen or if seen to go unreported. Peer influence also plays a …show more content…
If a child still has a percentage to become delinquent coming from the two parent home, we must now question the parenting. There are four parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved. Authoritative parents listen to their children, encourage independence, parent and provide limits without losing warmth. Authoritarian parents have strict rules, high expectations, lack warmth and are very demanding. Permissive parents are exactly the opposite or authoritarian. Permissive parents provide no rules and usually very nurturing but not at all strict. Lastly uninvolved parents are neglectful and do not parent at all. This type of parent simply is not there and is neglectful. Leslie Simons and Rand Conger (2007) conducted a study that tested 451 families in order to address this question. The study investigated the extent to which the parenting styles effected the child’s adolescent outcome. The most common practice found was the mother and father shared the same parenting style. Authoritative parents were found to have the best positive outcome (Simons & Conger (2007). Even having one authoritative parent is optimal for dodging delinquency. In addition to those findings it also is suggested that adolescents with two authoritative parents have more of an interest in school and extrinsic goals rather than authoritarian parents that