Parental Incarceration, Foster Children, and Delinquency
In most cases, the family is the first institution to which a young child is exposed, and the behavior of one’s parents and caregivers plays a significant role in shaping the child’s personality and behavior patterns. Therefore, a link can be established between the criminal behavior of parents and the risk of delinquency among children (Bates & Swan, 2019). First, statistics show that households with parents incarcerated or engaged in criminal activity are at higher risk of domestic violence and financial problems (Bates & Swan, 2019). Moreover, such events as one or two parents going to jail severely impact the child’s mental well-being and social standing (Bates & Swan, 2019). As a result, parental incarceration may put additional pressure on the child and form maladaptive behaviors, increasing the risk of engaging in criminal activity or misbehaving. Here, it is vital to account for such factors as the relationship between parents and the child, the cause of imprisonment, and the child’s support system.
If young individuals do not have parents or caregivers who can provide for them, they may be sent to foster care. For example, a child may enter the foster care system if both parents are incarcerated and other relatives do not exist or cannot care for the children (Bates & Swan, 2019). The young person is put in a new environment that lacks the same level of attention and care that a small household may provide. Foster homes have children from different backgrounds who experience much mental distress. The absence of a positive parental figure and new social norms within the system influence children and may lead to higher risks of delinquency (Bates & Swan, 2019). Furthermore, as foster homes may fail to provide the child with education or other basic needs, young individuals become exposed to additional dangers of developing delinquent behaviors (Bates & Swan, 2019). Overall, the combination of parental incarceration and fostering increases the mental stress of a child, and such individuals require additional care.
Reference
Bates, K. A., & Swan, R. S. (2019). Juvenile delinquency in a diverse society. Sage Publications.