Recently, many discussions evolve around the role of children who were brought up with a single parent. Psychologists and scholars, in general, look at these kids and evaluate their future actions in the societies. For some, it would mean that they will become self-reliant individuals in the society, for others it means a different path. Those who choose another way of leading their lives, often meet various challenges and obstacles. As an outcome, they are more likely to commit violent acts or crimes. Thus, one may say that children who were brought up with a single parent are more likely to commit violence than these who come from full families.
Let’s looks at the root of the issue. Children form their psychological image of the world since the early childhood. They would take whatever is given by their parents. The future of their life choices would help with estimation of the family conditions they have grown up in. Usually, one considered a family with two parents as the most suitable option for bringing up a child. In such family, children would be given all necessary care from the side of parents. So, one may conclude about a balanced parenting, in that case.
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Some of the studies support the argument, too. For instance, family facts state that ‘Compared to peers in intact families, adolescents living in single-mother families were more likely to engage in delinquent acts involving serious property crimes’(Familyfacts.org, 2015). The argument looked at in this essay is rather a demonstrative case. Besides the threat for committing crimes, children who come from the single-parent families suffer other psychological deviations, too, Particularly, these include a higher risk of involvement in delinquency. Such a deviation may be explained by the fact of lack parental involvement, monitoring and parental closeness.
The family structure appears to be a determinant factor for the future socialization of a child. The experience one receives during his childhood years often reflects during adulthood. For instance, those who come from families with alcohol-addicted parents are likely to have negative imprints in their memories that come from their childhood. Yet, the process of upbringing as such plays an important role, too. An education is given in a single family often corresponds to the same care and level of closeness as in other families with two parents.
The topic of this discussion often becomes speculated, too. Particularly, it determines the attitude from the governmental side towards single families as well as the attitude towards crime. Particularly, when one thinks of the US policies and its fear of crime, a lot of involved bodies become scapegoats of the perception of crime. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Justice does not track reliably the family background of people who have committed crimes. However, one may find the numbers that are dated back in the years. “The 1987 “Survey of Youth in Custody” found that 70% did not grow up with both parents. Another 1994 study of Wisconsin juveniles was even more stark: only 13% grew up with their married parents.” (Hymowitz, 2012) Judging from this survey, it is obvious that the likelihood to commit crimes is much higher in the families with a single parent.
Although, taking into consideration only the fact of social origin may not provide with a proper survey result. In other words, one shall look at parental employment, origins, social involvement. Only then, some proven conclusions may be drawn.
There is another argument coming from critiques who state that state that mass incarceration may be considered as the fact of actual creation of more single-parent families. The growth of nation’s prison population implies on the instability not only within the families but also within social policies. So, the correlation between a single parenting and violent acts may appear inverse.
In 1991, Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan declared that children who come from a single-parent family were five times more likely to be poor and twice as likely to commit crimes. Besides, he claimed that they were more likely to get involved in criminal activities, drug and alcohol abuse. So, the message coming from a high-ranking official was rather unpleasant. Moreover, it leads to a significant media reaction when people started to make their impressions based on the official statement.
What’s striking in the discussion is that officials would rather prefer to point out on the surveys results that involve family structure but would avoid looking at the issue of upraise of poverty and failure in schools. Thus, the methods for research as well as the outcomes from these research remain rather questionable.
Certainly, one may not deny the fact that children who come from the single mother families are more likely to commit crimes. This statement may be proved by the research conducted annually. However, one tends to forget about other factors that are not less important.
So, overall one may conclude the fact that children brought up in the single mother families are more likely to commit crimes. However, one shall keep in mind the fact of official statements and scapegoating that arises from the governmental level. It is unavoidable to forget about other major factors in that particular stance.
- Hymowitz, K. (2012). The Real, Complex Connection Between Single-Parent Families and Crime. The Atlantic. Retrieved 18 March 2015, from http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/the-real-complex-connection-between-single-parent-families-and-crime/265860/
- Familyfacts.org,. (2015). Marriage and Family as Deterrents from Delinquency, Violence and Crime. Retrieved 18 March 2015, from http://www.familyfacts.org/briefs/26/marriage-and-family-as-deterrents-from-delinquency-violence-and-crime
