The Evolution of Juvenile Delinquency
The Evolution of Juvenile Delinquency
5/19/2011
Crissey Arsenault
The issue of juvenile delinquency is one of major concerns to schools and society as a whole. There has been an increase of juvenile delinquents in today’s society, ranging from school violence, to gangs. Juvenile crime has increased in numbers and severity and there is no doubt that various experts can give us many theories as to the causes of it; individual backgrounds, peer groups, drug use, etc. I feel however, that the number one cause of juvenile delinquency is the breakdown of family life, including lack of supervision and parental involvement in children’s lives. It happens all too often that children are left to their own devices as parents leave the home to work, or are just too involved in their personal lives to take interest in what’s going on in the lives of their children.
Changes in Family Structure and Social Environment There are many reasons for this widespread crisis in families today. There have been many changes in the social environment, particularly over the last 20-30 years. Added to the social environment are the changes in family structure and functioning; the prevalence of divorce and the quantity and quality of adults who provide interactions, structure and supervision in a child’s life. Gone are the days of Dad going to work and Mom managing the household; Dad being the bread winner and disciplinarian, and Mom the caregiver and soothsayer; the traditions, morals and values in the days of old. One could also say that the days of traditional Mom and Dad households are gone as well. At the very least they are certainly a minority now. These changes have made for a risky environment for today’s youth. Children and teenagers spend more time with peers than ever before. Factor in the time spent observing/participating in media feeds of illicit and explicit sexual and violent nature, and you have the new traditions, morals and values of today’s youth. Children
5/19/2011
Crissey Arsenault
The issue of juvenile delinquency is one of major concerns to schools and society as a whole. There has been an increase of juvenile delinquents in today’s society, ranging from school violence, to gangs. Juvenile crime has increased in numbers and severity and there is no doubt that various experts can give us many theories as to the causes of it; individual backgrounds, peer groups, drug use, etc. I feel however, that the number one cause of juvenile delinquency is the breakdown of family life, including lack of supervision and parental involvement in children’s lives. It happens all too often that children are left to their own devices as parents leave the home to work, or are just too involved in their personal lives to take interest in what’s going on in the lives of their children.
Changes in Family Structure and Social Environment There are many reasons for this widespread crisis in families today. There have been many changes in the social environment, particularly over the last 20-30 years. Added to the social environment are the changes in family structure and functioning; the prevalence of divorce and the quantity and quality of adults who provide interactions, structure and supervision in a child’s life. Gone are the days of Dad going to work and Mom managing the household; Dad being the bread winner and disciplinarian, and Mom the caregiver and soothsayer; the traditions, morals and values in the days of old. One could also say that the days of traditional Mom and Dad households are gone as well. At the very least they are certainly a minority now. These changes have made for a risky environment for today’s youth. Children and teenagers spend more time with peers than ever before. Factor in the time spent observing/participating in media feeds of illicit and explicit sexual and violent nature, and you have the new traditions, morals and values of today’s youth. Children
Cited: Berk, L. E. (2010). Development Through the Lifespan. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Garfat, T. (2007, August). Who are we working with? A short history of Child and Youth Care involvement with families. Retrieved from The International Child & Youth Care Network: http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cycol-0708-garfat.html Government of Canada Department of Justice. (2010). http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/yj-jj/ycja-lsjpa/back-hist.html. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/index.html. Richardson, D. R. (1995). Family Ties That Bind. Vancouver: International Self-Counsel Press Ltd. The National Post. (2006). http://www.canadiancrc.com/Youth_Crime_in_Canada.aspx. Retrieved from http://www.canadiancrc.com/default.aspx: http://www.canadiancrc.com/Youth_Crime_in_Canada.aspx