I. Introduction
A. Opener:
B. Thesis statement: This term paper explores how family issues attribute to juvenile delinquency and how to overcome it.
II. First and foremost, an unstable family structure is one of the contributing factors to juvenile delinquency.
A. Single-parent household vs. two-parent household
B. Child maltreatment
1. emotional neglect
2. physical abuse
III. Secondly, studies have shown that juvenile delinquency is conclusively related to the family environment.
A. Family cohesion
B. Increasing number of siblings
1. large family size
2. less attention from parents
3. more conflicts occur among family members
IV. Moreover, one of the determinants which leads to juvenile delinquency is parents’ behavior.
A. Inconsistent discipline
B. Poor parental supervision
V. Last but not least, communication skills used by parents in offering advice to children are crucial in preventing negative behavior among teenagers.
A. Active listening
B. Positive communication
1. body language
2. tone of voice
VI. Conclusion: Family Influences on Juvenile Delinquency
Nowadays, a heated discussion on the issue of antisocial behavior among young generation is spreading throughout the society. The increasing number of juvenile delinquent has sparked people’s interest and concern about the contributing factors of juvenile delinquency. Juvenile delinquents are underage teenagers who commit illegal acts. Besides, delinquency will be considered as criminal if it is committed by an adult such as stealing car or setting fire. Undeniably, they create troublesome problems in the society. If society unable to curb this problem from getting worse, the peacefulness of people’s life will never able to be maintained. Most of the teenagers fail to distinguish between right or wrong especially when they unable to resist the enticements allured by their friends (Doggett, n.d.). This is because adolescence is a transitional period of disorientation and discovery when
References: Anonymous. (2012, September 19). Campaign for courtesy and good manners. The Sun, p.12. Boss, J. (2012). Think. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Doggett, A Weatherburn, D., & Lind, B. (1997). Social and economic stress, child neglect and juvenile delinquency