The Link between Being Raised in a Single vs Two-Parent Household and Risk of Juvenile Delinquency - Coursework Example

What is the associated link between being raised in a single- versus two-parent household and risk of juvenile delinquency? Grade Course Instructor’s Name (Feb. 3rd, 2015) What is the associated link between being raised in a single- versus two-parent household and risk of juvenile delinquency? Juvenile delinquency is a major concern in the American society, owing to the fact that in the year 2007, 2.18 million underage offenders were arrested (Alfre, 2014). While over 2 million juvenile arrests in a year spells trouble for the American society, it is the fact that 95% of the juveniles arrested were not petty offenders that would be classified under the ‘status offences’ category, but more of criminal violation offences that would pass for adult convictions (Alfre, 2014). Consequently, establishing the factors that account for the increase of juvenile delinquency is essential, owing to the fact that it would create measures that would help in mitigating this social challenge. Among the many social factors that contribute to increased juvenile delinquency, family type and family structure have come out as two major factors that influence the behaviors of children. Therefore, the single- versus two-parent household structure plays a big role in determining juvenile delinquency. Children raised by single parents are more likely to turn out to be delinquents compared to their counterparts who are raised by both families (Morse, 2003). This assertion appears to be a natural trend rather than an exception, thus indicating that there is a major parenting challenge that is associated with single parenthood. First, the fact that children raised by single parents are highly likely going to lack in adequate provision, cannot be overemphasized. This is because, in a capitalistic society where the standards of living of a family is dependent on the capacity of the providers to earn income, it goes without saying that most single parents will have a financial challenge, since they are the only ones providing for the family, as opposed to a two-parent family, where both parents will most likely contribute. In fact, children who live with a single parent, most especially children raised by single mothers, are six times more likely to be poor than the children who are raised by two parents (Eastin, 2003). The consequence of this scenario is that such children from the single parent families are more likely to engage in petty and even more criminal offences with a motive of providing for themselves, what their parents are not able to offer in the family. A study that was conducted to establish the relationship between family type and juvenile delinquency observed that children from the single parent families are more likely to starting engaging in offensive and criminal behavior at a younger age, compared to the children who are brought up in an intact two-parent family (Vanassche, Sodermans, Matthijs & Swicegood, 2014). This is partly explained by the fact that such children will grow up poor and lacking in certain life and social necessities, such that they will enter into petty offending early in life, as they try to make up for what they lack in their families. In this respect, there is no doubt that single-parent families are more likely to result to high delinquent rates in children, as opposed to the two-parent families. Single-parenthood is highly prone to producing children who are more delinquents than the two-parent families, due to a range of social factors. To start with, single-parents are most likely the sole breadwinners in their families, which then means that they will spend most of the time away from their children trying to make a living (Alfre, 2014). The effect is that there is little bonding between the children and their parents, while at the same time minimal control of the children’s conduct, since the parent is mostly away taking several jobs in order to make ends meet. Consequently, the children from single-parent families will adapt behavioral tendencies from the closes t social ties rather than their parents, putting them at a higher risk of adapting criminal and other unbecoming behaviors (Demuth & Brown, 2004). The outcome of the absence of parental control and guidance in the lives of the children from single parent families is that such children are highly likely to be lured into peer and social groups that may constitute gangs and cults. As a result, the juvenile delinquency rate for children from single-parent families is 12 times much higher than that of children from a two-parent family (Alfre, 2014). Further, studies have indicated that children from single-parent families, and especially children from a mother-only family are more likely to join gangs and other criminal peer groups, resulting in such children registering a juvenile delinquency rate of twenty times more than the children from the two-parent families (Alfre, 2014). It is the absence of the father-figures in the lives of the children raised by single mothers that has been attributed to contributing to negative behavioral outcomes for such children, with such children having a higher rate of teen pregnancy, school dropout, poor academic performance and even low employment rates (Eastin, 2003). Nevertheless, the two-parent families are not immune from being sources of high juvenile delinquency, simply because they have the two parents in place. Inter-parental conflict has emerged as a major factor that can contribute to children adapting violent, offensive and criminal behaviors (Eastin, 2003). This is because; when the parents are constantly involved in parental conflicts and feuds, they will have little time to address the relationship needs of their children, causing a problem of bonding between such children and their parents. Therefore, children from families that are violent and constantly defined by inter-parental conflict are at a higher risk of developing both emotional and intellectual problems, such that they end-up dropping out of school (Vanassche, Sodermans, Matthijs & Swicegood, 2014). The essence of parenthood is for children to bond and develop healthy relationships with their parents. Thus, when the home environment becomes violent and oppressive to either the parents or the children, such children will have the tendency of developing violent attributes, which are a prerequisite for delinquent behaviors. Simply put therefore, it is not merely the fact that a family has two parents in place, but through the fact that the parents have an intact relationship between themselves as well as between the m and their children, that a healthy upbringing is achieved. Thus, even two-parent families are at a higher risk of increasing the rate of juvenile delinquency, on the event that the home environment is a ground for constant feuds between the parents (Doggett, 2004). The biological parent factor is yet another social factor that has been observed to influence the rate of children delinquency. Children who live with both biological parents were observed to exhibit less delinquent tendencies, compared to children who were living with step-parents or foster parents (Demuth & Brown, 2004). This phenomenon has been attributed to the fact that biological parents manifested an easy and natural tendency to bond with their children as opposed to the step or foster parents. Additionally, the biological parents are observed to be capable of exerting disciplinary and behavioral control more effectively than the foster or step parents. Consequently, most of the children who have been brought up by both of their biological parents will come out as disciplined and regulated, compared to those who are not raised by their biological parents (Demuth & Brown, 2004). Therefore, it is not having a two parent family that serves to reduce the rate of juvenile delinquency, but also the nature of the tie that exists between the children and the parents. In fact, children who are raised by foster and step parents, especially girls, have been observed to take alcohol at a higher rate than those brought up either by single parents or by two biological parents (Alfre, 2014). However, while there is a high risk of juvenile delinquency in families of single-parenthood compared to those with two parents in place, studies have also indicated that children, whether from single-parent families or two-parent families, have equal chances of becoming delinquents, if their parents do not spend quality time with them (Doggett, 2004). Therefore, it is essential that guardians become parents as opposed to being just providers in the life of their children. The only way through which the rate of juvenile delinquency can be minimized is through parents being constantly there in the lives of their children, and continuing to provide rules and controls, as well as the necessary encouragement and structures that will guide their children into responsible behavior and productive adulthood (Morse, 2003). Despite the fact that more delinquents are from single parent families, it is the parent-to-children interaction that highly determines how the child will eventually turn out to be. In fact, there are numerous children that have been raised by single parents in the American society, but have continued to prosper and become respectable members of the society. This simply means that two-parent family structure is not a sufficient condition for eliminating juvenile delinquency in the society. A good relationship, especially the one between same sex parents and their children, has been observed to lower the rate of child delinquency significantly (Vanassche, Sodermans, Matthijs & Swicegood, 2014). It is the manner in which the parents, whether single or two, will interact with their children, which defines the nature of the children they raise. References Alfre, J.D. (2014). Juvenile Delinquency and Family Structure: Implications for Marriage and Relationship Education. National Healthy Marriage Resource Center. Doggett, A. (2004). Juvenile Delinquency and Family Structure. Elon University Demuth, S., & Brown, S. L. (2004). Family structure, family processes, and adolescent delinquency: the significance of parental absence versus parental gender. Journal Of Research In Crime & Delinquency, 41(1), 58-81 Eastin, J. F. (2003). Impact of Absent Father-Figures on Male Subjects and the Correlation to Juvenile Delinquency: Findings and Implications. University of North Texas. Morse, J. R. (2003). Parents or Prisons. Policy Review, (120), 49-60. Vanassche, S., Sodermans, A., Matthijs, K., & Swicegood, G. (2014). The Effects of Family Type, Family Relationships and Parental Role Models on Delinquency and Alcohol Use Among Flemish Adolescents. Journal Of Child & Family Studies, 23(1), 128-143. Read More