Why Do Juveniles Do Bad Things?

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There are many individual-level variables that can explain why juveniles become involved in delinquent acts. One important variable that plays a major role in this is the major affect that family context has on the role of child development. More specifically, the idea of child abuse comes into play that has always been researched and focused on as a major part as to why some juveniles become involved in delinquent acts. Child abuse involves important family characteristics that affect the growth of a child and will ultimately damage them both physically and mentally. If a child is damaged at a young age, then they way they think and perceive the world changes, especially if help is not given to them in their time of need. Child abuse is a serious issue and is a major point that affects juvenile delinquency and the role they play in society, meaning if they have a positive, or negative role and the way they will live their life.
Elrod and Ryder (2011) state that child physical abuse is rather more specific than any other kind of “discipline”. There is a difference between spanking and child physical abuse, and that child physical abuse is more of a degree, not kind. There is no specific estimate of the exact role that child abuse and neglect plays in the United States, however, it is certain that there is a significant social problem in this area. Elrod and Ryder (2011) state that even mild forms of violence against children may encourage aggression and that physical abuse is strongly related to a variety of childhood adjustment problems. One of the major areas of childhood adjustment problems lies within the area of violent juvenile crime. Child physical abuse, aside from having physical injuries, affects the mental state of a c...

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...ed very seriously when determining if this has anything to do with their decision to become involved in delinquent acts. Child physical abuse can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and can ultimately affect their state of mind and how they view decisions as good or bad. By not being able to distinguish the differences between good and bad, it is more likely they will become involved with negative acts that can affect the outcome of the rest of their lives. Serious issues come into play when a child’s mental state of mind is altered and it can be very difficult to guide them back to the right path of life, especially if they have become too deeply involved with delinquent acts. It is important to combat this problem from the start to help keep them on the straight and narrow, and provide the help they need to adjust their mental state of mind to the proper stage.

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