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Dysfunctional families and crime

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Dysfunctional families and crime

Introduction

Research shows that a number of crimes in the United States is continuously increasing with time. There are multiple causes behind increasing number of crimes. Most of the scholars believe that dysfunctional families are the root cause for raising crime ratio. A dysfunctional family is the one in which misbehavior, conflict, and child abuse occurs continuously or regularly from parental side that leads members of family to accommodate crimes. A family’s psychological characteristics are directly associated with a child developing criminal behavior (Phillips,et,al,2019). Family develops personality of children but if children are not getting required attention that would make them a responsible citizen from their family, both individual and society would suffer. Researchers claim that in a dysfunctional family, children may face a number of crisis that affect their psychological development. Evidence shows that dysfunctional families fail to provide the required support and environment to other family members that hinders their positive growth and ultimately, they are being led towards the path of crime (Alexis-Martin,et,al,2019)

Discussion

According to the report presented by U.S Department of Justice, conflicts, abuse, and misbehavior are the main elements on which a dysfunctional family constitutes. Lack of confidence and trust, absence of feeling of belonging and love, lack of understanding and bonding and sexual abuse that are the main elements of a dysfunctional family that spoil children and encourage them to commit a crime. It has been witnessed that when children are not being provided with the care they need; rebellious attitude develops in them and they start challenging the societal norms that result in breaking of laws. Some studies support the claim that young people of the dysfunctional families are particularly involved in criminal activities. Criminal activities in which family members of dysfunctional families indulge themselves are alcohol consumption, drug abuse, violence, cybercrime and robberies etc. It won’t be wrong to say that people who are made to feel inferior are going to take revenge not only from those who exploited their rights and torture them but also break both social and moral laws that result in the increased rate of the crime (Alexis-Martin,et,al,2019). Studies show that explanation of crimes and criminal activities takes in consideration of both sociological and psychological factors and both these elements are maintained by the family. According to Bell, around 70% of the inmates come from dysfunctional families. This fact cannot be denied that family is the first institution that teaches a child how to survive in this world. It is also the institution that provides children with the basic knowledge that is acceptable in society.

Conclusion

Parents who are supposed to help their children in understanding the world so that they could behave accordingly misguide their children in dysfunctional families and it supported claim of many researchers regarding increased crime rate. Family is the fundamental unit and the building block of the human society that helps in mitigating the drastic situation i.e. crime but if the families are making their family members insecure than there would be an increase in the criminal activities. Poor parental supervision and conflict are considered as a risk factor for the increased rate of the crime. As per A.B. Parks, another major factor that must be taken into account is: behavior is learned but families in which children are not taught how to accept and observe rules become the ones who break the laws and contribute in increasing the crime rate. So, as a whole, it won’t be wrong to say that family life has a strong link with crimes and criminal activities.

Research Question

Is there any relationship between dysfunctional family and increasing crime rate?

References

Alexis-Martin, B. (2019). Book Review: Troublemakers: The Construction of ‘Troubled Families’ as a Social Problem.

Phillips, B. (Ed.). (2019). Family Relationships in Contemporary Crime Fiction: La Famiglia. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.