These homes can offer a new start for the misleaded teens, though sometimes they are just a worse environment for them to live in. Without an adequate home and loving parents these teens are emotionally scared and may never recover.
Causes for juvenile delinquency vary vastly. Over 75% of teenagers, who have been arrested, said their family relationships were weak. Often the children follow in the parent's footsteps; making stealing, and vandalizing an acceptable action. Usually the child is born to a single mother or even a mother who is still in school. Peer pressure also adds to a child's unlawful behaviors, giving into the can affect the child's thoughts and even personality (Van Son). During middle school through high school years two out of every three students try cigarettes while another one of every three try marijuana (Torbet). Fewer than 15% of students said they had stolen something just because they were bored; this outrageous action was probably done before, by the child's parents. Yet some children do not have a parental figure to model themselves after, for this they resort to gangs. After they have been accepted the teens commit crimes for fun, or in extreme cases murder for their beliefs: such as in a 17 year olds case who murdered two rival gang members for initiation. These youths are just looking for a family to except them, and they are looking in the wrong place. How much longer will we allow another good teen to go bad?.
Parents play a tremendous role in a child's life: they influence the way children talk, behave, and even perceive life. Over 33% of families live in slums where stealing and other crimes happen everyday (McGarrell). Presidents of the past have made many steps to help the rural and urban areas through the OEO program and the idea of urban renewal (Guarion-Ghezzi). The also government has noticed the trend that children grow up to be like their parents, no matter how good or bad they become.
