CJUS 310 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Research Paper Final Draft _ASSIGNMENT_2024.pdf

Criminal justice centers on the protection of innocents from illicit actions that pose an immediate

enforcement on this issue is what major factor has contributed to the creation of child criminals?

Research shows that kids living under untraditional families, divorce, or fatherless homes are

statistically more likely to engage in crime and are more readily willing to participate in said

activities due to being ethically compromised. The way in which a family operates directly

correlates to the influence illegal actions have on the minds of youth. There is still hope to fix

this issue however. By returning to God’s original design for marriage and family true healing of

role model, juvenile delinquency, academics

ethical concepts such as morality, self-control, and patience are learned equipping the next

Bennett the role of the modern family is to be, “…the arena in which moral understanding is

shaped” (Bennett, 2002, Ch. 2). Proverbially speaking, the concept of a united family shields the

potential of one’s members from the advances of illicit actions or criminally promiscuous

influences. Unfortunately, when this ironclad system begins to dissolve the children underneath

it begin to fall as well. The procreation of delinquent tendencies in the lives of adolescents is

criminality is easily observable through academics. The article Family structure and children's

educational outcomes: blended families, stylized facts, and descriptive regressions by Donna

Ginther and Robert Pollack for the National Library of Medicine offers this observation, “…

educational outcomes for both types of children in blended families—stepchildren and their half-

siblings who are the joint children of both parents—are similar to each other and substantially

worse than outcomes for children reared in traditional nuclear families” (Ginther and Pollak,

2004). Children raised in broken homes or mixed families possess a higher probability for being

academically stunted. Due to the continual educational shortcomings that come as a product of

one’s living conditions, said individuals are often demonized by those institutions that claim to

champion towards one’s success. As stated in the article The Process of “Pushing Out”:

academic failure” (Jabbari, 2021, Para. 1). As a result of the compounding disadvantageous

alluring due to it possessing no discriminatory foundations or a lack of possibilities. Essentially,

one’s lack of educational prowess predisposes them to a life full of negatively influential

mentalities. As the Bible warns in Ecclesiastes 7:12, “For wisdomKisKa defence,KandKmoneyKisKa

defence: but the excellency of knowledgeKis, thatKwisdom giveth life to them that have it”

(Ecclesiastes 7:12, KJV, 1769/2023).

of adolescents. The Bible says in Matthew 19:6, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one

flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6, KJV,

1769/2023). Marriage is made to be unbreakable and forms the basis on which a child’s nature is

defined. When this truth is ignored, however, the resulting damage ensures the statistical increase

that someone’s child will become involved in illegal activities. According to the article The

Influence of Family Structure on Delinquent Behavior by Cashen Boccio and Kevin Beaver, “a

meta-analysis byKWells and Rankin (1991)Kthat examined 50 studies found that parental divorce

was associated with a 10–15% increase in the likelihood of delinquent behavior” (Boccio and

Beaver, 2017, Para. 4). The purposeful destruction of one of God’s strongest covenants results in

a tidal wave of unforeseen trauma. While it is true that not every child subject to divorce will

engage in juvenile delinquency, parental separation definitely does position children in an

creation of a delinquent generation. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke

not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”

(Ephesians 6:4, KJV, 1769/2023). As said previously, it is the role of the familial unit to instill

morality into the kids associated with it. This is only half true. While both parents share equal

responsibility for the well being of their children, it is the divinely appointed role of the father to

with father absence: Building hope through a programme by Fazel Freeks, “The epidemic of

absent fathers is a causal factor of the urgent social problems such as teenage pregnancy, child

abuse, neglect and domestic violence or crime, and many more factors” (Freeks, 2020, Para. 1).

It is through fathers that boys learn to be strong leaders and girls learn to value themselves.

Those who choose to abandon their responsibility as the leader of their household essentially

guarantee a future of delinquency for their offspring, since said children have no definitive role

model in which to emulate. The article The Impact of Role Models, Mentors, and Heroes on

Academic and Social Outcomes in Adolescents by Hamna Atif,KLindsey Peck,KMary

Connolly,KKodi Endres,KLeah Musser,KMariam Shalaby, Morgan Lehman, andKRobert P Olympia

offers this analysis, “Identity formation is a dynamic process…that begins in

adolescence.KDuring this time, children look to adults as role models and mentors. These adults

essential for happy and healthy families.

commonly seen to be oppressive and biased towards those persons who sexually identify with

different gender roles or engage in homosexual behaviors. This is primarily due to the fact that

said stances are based upon a biblical reality that very explicitly details the consequences of

living a sinful lifestyle. The issue had is not with the statistical truth of the information itself, but

with the zealous mission statement held by these groups of “love is love”. According to the

urban dictionary this phrase states that, “love expressed by an individual or couple

isKvalidKregardless of theKsexual orientationKorKgender identityKof their lover or partner” (Urban

Dictionary, 2020). The inherent selfishness of this clause emanates the intention behind its

teachings, in that; humanity is the primary source of love. Placing humanity at the center of

morality is in total opposite of the parental role discussed in chapter one and vividly shows the

true conflict expressed in society. It is not whether juvenile delinquency is truly brought about by

one’s family unit, but rather that God takes away man’s power to dictate reality. The research

provided here for the establishment of criminal activity in at risk youths is generally ignored due

to its spiritual nature. Since criminality is a form of rebellion and rebellion is a form of sin, it can

be logically concluded that delinquency as a concept is grounded in the absolute nature of the

says in Psalms 127:3, “Lo, childrenKareKan heritage of the LORD:KandKthe fruit of the wombKis

hisKreward” (Psalms 127:3, KJV, 1769/2023). It is the intention of the Lord that those entrusted

with a child’s safekeeping impart the protection of the Holy Spirit unto them, through the

installation of scriptural morality in their hearts. It is through said teachings that the fruits of the

spirit are manifested in their lives and delinquency or any other form of rebellion is discouraged.

rebellionKis asKthe sin of witchcraft, and stubbornnessKis asKiniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel

15:23, KJV, 1769/2023). Juvenile delinquency, as a form of criminal behavior, is equally

enveloped in demonic influence. The Devil’s main mission is to kill, steal, and destroy the soul

of anyone he can. The methods listed above of academic persecution, broken families through

divorce, and fatherless homes contribute to the annihilation of a child’s physical and spiritual

future. To put it simply, the structure of one’s familial dynamic influences the pull of

delinquency on the children beneath it. The biblical definition of family, as defined by a

heterosexual marriage living in an everlasting covenant with God, exists to protect children and

parents alike from the consequences of living in a fallen world. As long as children are brought

up with role models that exemplify the values of Christ, criminality as a whole may be avoided

in the lives of future generations.