Juvenile Delinquency and Family Structure

2 Main Factors

• Family structure that a child is exposed to
• the relationships adolescents have with their parents

More and more women are becoming single mothers

Out of wedlock births

Single parenting affects

• mentally
• emotionally
• psychologically

Lack of Paternal Involvement

% of children living with a father

• 90.4% (Asian)
• 72.5% (Hispanic)
• 84.4% (White)
• 49.2% (Black)

Things "Dad" bring to his children

• Playing
• Encouraging risks
• Protection
• Disciplining

Fatherless affects on boys

• Having to grow up to soon
• Negative role models
• Aggressive Attitude

Fatherless affects on girls

• Become desperate for male attention
• low self-esteem
• Teenage pregnancy

Absent Father Homes

• 63% youth suicides
• 90% of homeless and runaway kids
• 85% show behavioral disorder
• 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger
• 71% of high school dropouts
• 70% of juveniles in state operated centers
• 85% of all youths sitting in prison

All children need their parents in in one way or another, both mom and dad play important roles. Parents provide structure, encouragement and any type of consistent adult behavior that a juvenile can use as guidelines throughout their adolescent years.