1
Impact Paper Assignment
The Impact of Crime on Childhood Development
Kennedy Wambete Musungu
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
HSCO502: Human Growth and Development (B03
Dr. Izola Jones
May 29th, 2025
2
The Impact of Crime on Childhood Development
Introduction
Violence, crime and abuse are increasingly touching the lives of American children, with
more than half experiencing these issues by age 17 (Finkelhor et al., 2013). Being a victim or
witness of crime or living in dangerous neighborhoods, can seriously interfere with a child’s
regular development. Most of the time, these disruptions lead to emotional difficulties, delays in
thinking, behavioral issues and poor social abilities. Knowing the effects of crime on a child’s
growth is vital for people working in human development, as early incidents can affect learning,
relationships and whether a child turns out to be moral. This paper explores how crime exposure
is defined and conceptualized, why it is an important issue within the field of human
development, and the various ways it affects cognitive, emotional, social, and moral growth.
Additionally, it examines relevant Christian perspectives and professional practices that support
affected individuals and families, while offering helpful resources for recovery and resilience.
Conceptualization
Exposure to crime in childhood can be defined as a child’s direct or indirect experience
with criminal or violent acts, often resulting in long-lasting developmental consequences.
Domestic violence or assault is direct victimization, witnessing violence is indirect and having to
daily live in neighborhoods with frequent crime is environmental exposure. Both of these
situations can endanger a child’s comfort and security. Blewitt and Broderick (2019 explain that
children’s emotional development is shaped by their caregiving environment, and “when the
environment is not safe, the developing brain must shift its focus from learning to survival.” If
3
someone experiences crime continually, it often leads to feelings of stress and stops the brain
from developing as it should.
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) framework identifies early exposure to
violence and household dysfunction as major predictors of poor developmental outcomes.
Webster (2022) discovered that people who experience ACEs are more likely to deal with mental
health, substance abuse and chronic disease problems later in life. Sometimes, children with
extreme Developmental Trauma Disorder have continual problems with emotions and developing
healthy attachments. These kids can have difficulties in making positive relationships and
controlling their feelings which makes prompt and suitable trauma care important.
Importance to the Field of Human Development
Understanding the impact of crime exposure on childhood development is essential to the
field of human development because it reveals how early experiences can shape the entire
trajectory of a person’s life. Children who are exposed to crime, through harm, witnessing
violence or living hazardous situations, usually experience challenges with growing their brains,
creating relationships with those around them and controlling their emotions. Consistent
exposure to stressors in the caregiving environment can undermine the child’s capacity to
regulate emotion and develop secure attachments (Zreik et al., 2024).
Such disruptions have long-term consequences. Children in high-risk environments are
more likely to struggle academically due to difficulties in concentration and memory. They tend
to have more anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and antisocial behavior.
Without intervention, these challenges in childhood may result in more involvement in crime in
adolescence and adulthood, continuing cycle. By recognizing these developmental risks, experts
4
in education, social work, psychology and healthcare can support students and patients by
following trauma-informed methods (National Library of Medicine, 2020). Keeping kids safe
and supporting them immediately and regularly can improve their well-being after crime
experiences and point to the importance of this knowledge in developing better strategies for
people.
Developmental Impact
The impact of crime exposure on development varies by age and stage, but it can be
deeply harmful across the lifespan. Young children are at high risk from violence or neglect
because it often disrupts their bonds with parents or caregivers. If caregivers are irregular,
unavailable or unkind, children often adapt to such circumstances by having an insecure
attachment style that may impact their emotions and trust (Mcdowell, 2022). At this point, the
child’s brain is creating important connections and these can be easily harmed by toxic stress.
Children during this stage may experience problems with behaviors, struggling at school
and having emotional difficulties. According to Blewitt and Broderick (2020), the ability of
children to focus, learn and work well with their peers is greatly reduced if they don’t feel safe
emotionally. Children who grow up with frequent violence can end up feeling unable or not
worth much, behind other kids at school and in their social lives. Being exposed to crime during
adolescence can encourage risky habits, youth crime and may bring on post-traumatic stress
syndrome. At this time, forming one’s identity and getting along with others can be interrupted
by a lack of trust, violent behavior or pulling away from people.
A Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory explanation focuses on how the family,
school and neighborhood can be supportive or hurtful to the child’s development (Flynn &
5
Mathias, 2023). Witnessing violence often can lead a child to have difficulties identifying what is
right and what is wrong.
Faith & Professional Perspectives
Christian scholars focus on how Scripture illustrates God’s compassion for those who
suffer. God is close to those who are grieving and helps recover those who are broken in spirit
(Psalm 34:18, NIV). Isaiah 61:1–3 explains that God will work to bring justice, health and
restoration which Jesus repeated when, in Luke 4:18, he reached out to the hurt and oppressed.
On account of these biblical messages, Christians are responsible for caring for vulnerable
children hurt by crime and working toward their restored hope.
In their work, it is important for practitioners to remember that behavior is often a sign of
deeper hidden hurt. A child’s aggression or introverted behavior, as well as poor scores in school,
could point to prior trauma. Ensuring a child’s safety, a stable home, consistent caregivers,
mental health help and backup from other groups like schools and families should be important
for human service providers. Recommending programs that prevent crime and support children
after it happens is very important to encourage their healing.
Conclusion
Being exposed to crime while young can greatly interfere with normal development
across the mind, emotions, relationships and values. If a person is either abused, closely exposed
to abuse or lives in a dangerous place, these circumstances typically bring about lasting
consequences if they are not treated early. Based on attachment, Erikson’s psychosocial stages
and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, professionals can see the strong impact of trauma on a
6
child. Healing, justice and compassion are both important parts of Christian beliefs and
traumainformed strategies. Advocating and offering safe and supportive care helps professionals
help affected children restore hope and grow with better health outcomes.
7
References
Broderick, P., & Blewitt, P. (2019). The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals. In
Google Books. Pearson Education.
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Life_Span.html?id=A6RKuQEACAAJ
Finkelhor, D., Turner, H. A., Shattuck, A., & Hamby, S. L. (2013). Violence, crime, and abuse exposure
in a national sample of children and youth: an update. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(7), 614–621.
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.42
Flynn, K., & Mathias, B. (2023). “How Am I Supposed to Act?”: Adapting Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological
Systems Theory to Understand the Developmental Impacts of Multiple Forms of Violence.
Journal of Adolescent Research, 40(1), 074355842311596.
https://doi.org/10.1177/07435584231159674
Mcdowell, L. (2022). Emotional Neglect in Childhood and Attachment Anxiety in Adult Emotional
Neglect in Childhood and Attachment Anxiety in Adult Relationships as Predictors of Social
Networking Addiction Relationships as Predictors of Social Networking Addiction.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2369&context=honorstheses
National Library of Medicine. (2020). Trauma-Informed Care: A Sociocultural Perspective. Nih.gov;
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207195/
Webster, E. (2022). The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health and Development in
Young Children. Global Pediatric Health, 9(9).
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8882933/
Zreik, G., Haimov, I., & Szepsenwol, O. (2024). Parental childhood adversity and emotional
functioning: Associations with child’s emotion regulation. Family Relations.
8
https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.13120
