Child Endangerment Research Paper

Anytown’s Department of Job and Family Services recently implements a new policy regarding child endangerment. To most people you would think for anyone to be charged with child endangerment, it had to be a very serious matter. What most people don’t realize is child endangerment could be simply leaving your child unattended. Nevertheless, child endangerment occurs when a person engages in conduct that places a child in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment. I believe if a household has one or more documented offense that could put the child in a compromising position. A full investigation should be made, and then a decision should be made for the child to be taken out of the home, or provide government-funded …show more content…
You will have the side who wants to be able to raise their child how they see fit without having to worry about, “What is overboard, or not good for the child.” They would try to combat the ethical reasoning behind the policy. Then the moral issue could arise from what is actually going on in these compromising homes. A huge issue I see surfacing would come from those families who may not have a history of being volatile in the home or towards their children, but realize they are being made an example of. For example, every summer we begin to see news stories about children being left unattended in a car for long periods of time. Some kids are saved, others perish. What if on one particular day a parent decides to run in the store and leave their child unattended. Let’s say the new policy is in effect and someone reports the child being left unattended. Looking at the rule of child endangerment, that parent could be charged the offense. Because of the new law, they would fall under the category of having their child possibly being taken from the home. Is that entirely fair? This is why I believe a thorough investigation should be done, to see the history of the family and if it would be appropriate for the child to be taken away. This is why I also believe, with a policy being enforced to this degree, there …show more content…
The Department of Job and Family Services mentioned, research shows if a child observes negative behavior in the home, they are most likely going to utilize the same aggressive tactics. When the DJFS implemented this new policy, they did not misinterpret the social learning theory. The policy and social learning theory goes hand-in-hand. If studies show that a child exposed to violent video games in turn results in violent behavior from the child; why wouldn’t a child showcase volatile behavior exhibited from their parents? The social learning theory applies to the scenario because if a child is exposed to violent/aggressive behavior, they are more prone to being violent and aggressive themselves; compared to a child who is being raised in a positive home