Sources of Juvenile Delinquency

Contributing Factors to Juvenile Delinquency Today more than ever, juvenile delinquency has become one of the most important social issues as juvenile crimes, especially murder, has risen in such crime redden cities as Oakland, Chicago, and Los Angeles (Los Angeles County). There are many factors and sources which can be put to blame for what seems to be an increase in juvenile delinquency. Ultimately juvenile delinquency is a product of the privatized, overpopulated, and the institutionalized racial disparity of the criminal justice system and prison system, but this essay will focus on some mirco factors of juvenile delinquency such as family/household relationships and environment.
Family and household relationships are key factors to juvenile delinquency and child behavior. The family is the first and largest source of socialization for a child as the family is where a child learns of the norms and rules for functioning in society. Not only does a child learn what is right from wrong and socialization skills from the family, but a child also test and imitate acquired behaviors to trial what type of reaction the behavior causes. There are many factors of family and home relationships which may contribute to juvenile delinquency. A child who lives in an abusive household where he/she is constantly is physically and/or psychologically abused may begin displaying unruly behavior towards authority which could lead to further misbehavior and a contempt attitude towards authority as the child gets older. A child who lives with a family or in a household and does not get enough attention from family members (parents or siblings) may begin to exhibit rebellious behavior. For example, a child apart of a working class family where the mother and/or father both work more than 40 hours a week may not get the required attention and supervision needed for the child or a child who is emotionally and psychologically neglected by parents and siblings may lead to