When teens start body and mind starts to mature they begin physical and emotional changes like puberty. Some begin to question adult authority more and the need for parental guidance. According to Temple University psychologist Dr. Laurence Steinberg, "youth thinking mirrors that of their parents by age 16, but teens are still less likely to base decisions on future consequences. Peer pressure can have a major negative affect on the lives of children, often resulting in their experimentation with tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs and other things." .
Bad parenting is a big problem in today's society; most parents may not realize but the way you raise your child can affect their attitude and behavior long term. Many parents today are already contributing to the ever-increasing problem of juvenile delinquency simply by not knowing how to be parents. I have a four year old daughter and as her father I consider parenting as a lifelong commitment that consists of a lot of learning on both me and my daughter's part. No parent is perfect and most will likely make some mistakes, both big and small, when raise a child. Some mistakes are not likely to have lasting effects on your child if you take the proper steps to make sure those mistakes aren't repeated. However, consistently poor parenting can have negative consequences on your child's childhood and adulthood. Paying attention to your child and understanding them will help you make the best decisions for you and your child.
By paying attention to your child you might see the signs of juvenile delinquency early and work with your child to change the behavior that you may be noticing. Just because a kid is bad or acts out doesn't make them a juvenile delinquent. In general terms juvenile delinquency means different things to different people. By law, a juvenile delinquent is a person under the age of eighteen who is found guilty in a court of law for committing some sort of crime.
