Juvenile Delinquency

Karen Dean

Psychology 100 - 850AM-1050AM

August 17, 2006

The cause of juvenile delinquency has many factors in today's society. As the world has changed so has socio-economics and what was once known as a family has changed. When the United States was founded, all families had two parents. There were no television sets to baby sit the kids. Both parents took and interest in what the children were doing and families still ate three meals a day together. Between WWII and Vietnam American, society started a rapid flux of change. More women were entering the work force. Then divorce was starting not to have such bad connotations. With the prevalence of divorce, many of the families starting in the 1970's had only one parent.

One-parent families face a great deal more hardships than two parent families. Without a father present, many of these children did not have the guidance that a father should have been there to give. It was extremely hard on the mother have to be the breadwinner and nurturer of these children. Many times, just to make ends meet the mothers would work more than one job. These working mothers worked late into the night leaving a whole generation of children to have to go home to empty houses. These one-parent families had what were known as "Latch Key Kids". These so-called Latch Key children were left to fiend for himself or herself until a parent came home. When children are left to their own devices, they naturally gravitate toward trouble. Not only were they left for periods but also since there is only one parent working most times they live in near poverty conditions. It's natural for someone to want something they do not have, now think of that person as a child who doesn't understand why mom can't afford what little Johnny down the street's parents have given him. Children do not understand why mom cannot afford the things they want they just know she is saying no. Now - here comes...