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Family and Delinquency

Agnew (14)

Introduction

All major delinquency theories argue family influences whether juveniles engage in delinquency

1. level of and reaction to strain

2. learns to conform or deviate

3. control to which subjected

4. extent to which labeled

Research on family and delinquency focused on four major aspects of family

1. family structure —size and composition of family

2. parental and sibling deviance —extent to which parents and siblings engage in crime and deviant behavior

3. quality of family relationships —emotional ties between family members and how well they get along with each other

4. parental socialization —extent to which parents teach their children to conform or deviate

Family Structure

Broken homes argued by many to be major cause of delinquency

1. broken homes cause delinquency for a number of reasons

juveniles are under strain due to conflict associated with breakup and other problems that follow breakup

juveniles are subject to less control because breakup disrupts emotional bonds and supervision

juveniles have less exposure to conventional role models

juveniles more likely to be labeled delinquent

2. large percentage of juveniles now live in broken homes and are likely to suffer range of problems

3. data on broken homes and delinquency are mixed

a. some studies find no difference between those from broken and intact homes

b. other studies, particularly those based on official data, find those from broken homes more likely to engage in delinquency

4. conclude from overall data that broken homes have small to moderate effect on delinquency

5. homes broken by divorce/separation have stronger association with delinquency than death of a parent

6. broken homes versus quality of family relationships

a. effects of broken homes less than effects of behavior/attitudes of family

b. broken homes with good relationships less likely to result in delinquency than intact homes with bad relationships

Mother’s employment outside the home has little or no effect on delinquency

Placing juveniles in child-care facilities may contribute to a modest increase in aggression and problem behavior in some children

1. morning-to-afternoon increase in cortisol indicating children experience strain

2. learn aggressive behaviors from others

3. subject to less direct control, weaker bonds to parents, and slower to develop internal control

Teenage parents

1. teenage motherhood has moderate effect on delinquency

teenage mothers more likely to have larger families, be single parents, live in poverty, and obtain welfare or public assistance

children of teenage mothers more likely experience factors conducive to delinquency

premature birth and low birth weight

physical abuse, neglect, or abandonment

trouble in school

2. Teenage fatherhood

delinquents more likely to become teenage fathers than nondelinquents

likely that teenage fathers increase likelihood of delinquency

Large family size has small effect on delinquency

1. less parental supervision

2. more strain

3. exposure to delinquent peers

Parental & Sibling Crime/ Deviance

Parental crime/deviance increases likelihood of delinquency

1. may model aggressive behaviors and encourage children to be tough

2. less likely to establish strong emotional bonds with children

3. more likely to engage in abusive behaviors and get into conflicts with other family members

4. children more likely to be viewed and treated as “bad"

5. may pass on genetic traits conducive to delinquency

Sibling crime/deviance increases likelihood for delinquency

1. siblings exposed to similar family influences

2. delinquent siblings socialize one another by providing models, reinforcements, and teaching beliefs conducive to delinquency

Quality of Family Relationships

Parental affection for or rejection of children

1. delinquency lower when parents express their love for their children

talk with them

express an interest in them

provide them with comfort and support

2. delinquency much more likely when parents reject or ignore their children

parental rejection one of strongest family correlates of delinquency

parents are unlikely to earn children’s love or effectively socialize them

Attachment of juvenile to parent

1. delinquency lower when children have strong emotional bond or attachment to parents

attachment functions as form of control

reduced likelihood juveniles will fall under influence of delinquent peers

less likely to find home a stressful place

2. delinquency higher when children have weak attachment to parents

Family conflict

1. delinquency lower in families with little conflict

includes conflict between spouses and between parents and juveniles

forms of conflict include quarreling, expressions of disapproval, nagging, scolding, and threatening

2. family conflict is more likely to produce delinquency

weakens emotional bonds between parents and children

disrupts efforts to socialize children

exposes children to aggressive models and beliefs

increases likelihood of association with delinquent peers

increases level of strain experienced by children

Child abuse

1. early studies had number of methodological problems and may have exaggerated effect of abuse on delinquency

2. more recent studies suggest that abuse increases likelihood of delinquency by a moderate amount

3. most abused children do not become serious delinquents

Parental Socialization

Parental Socialization

Teaching children not to engage in delinquency

1. provide clear rules for behavior that specify what behaviors are unacceptable

2. directly/indirectly monitor children’s behavior to ensure compliance with rules

3. consistently sanction children for rule violations

sanctions should not be too harsh or punitive

recommended sanctions include imposition of chores, clear expressions of disapproval, reasoning, and time out

4. employ effective problem-solving techniques for resolving problems

clearly state problem in neutral terms

other person paraphrases problem

brainstorm list of solutions

choose solution through process of negotiation

develop contract that describes terms of the agreement

Family disciplinary styles that increase likelihood of delinquency

1. supervision and discipline are lax

2. parents frequently punish or threaten punishment, but ineffectively and inconsistently punish

negative pattern of interaction develops between family members

reduces emotional bonds and levels of control, while increasing strain and anger

Teaching children to engage in conventional behavior

1. parents teach children intellectual, cognitive, and behavioral skills

provide direct instruction in these skills

model these skills

provide opportunities for children to practice these skills

reinforce children when they successfully employ these skills

2. parents provide emotional, informational, and instrumental support when children face problems that they cannot handle

Review

Reviewing the impact of family on delinquency

Important family variables are parental rejection of the child and parental efforts to socialize the child against delinquency

Delinquency least likely when quality of family relationships is good and parents attempt to socialize children against delinquency

1. referred to as “warm and authoritative” or “warm and firm”

2. parents have warm relationship with children and have clear rules they enforce

Delinquency most common when parents are “warm and lax” or “cold and lax”

Family variables more important during childhood and early adolescence

E. Some parents employ poor parenting practices

1. lack traits for effective parenting

2. lack knowledge

3. have difficult children

4. experience strains or stressors