Family-Based Risk and Protective Factors and their Effects on Juvenile Delinquency: What Do We Know?

Family-Based Risk and Protective Factors and their Effects on Juvenile Delinquency: What Do We Know? PDF Version (236 KB)

ISBN: 978-0-662-48400-4

Table of contents

• Risk factors
  • Risk factors associated with family dynamic and functioning
  • Risk factors associated with family characteristics
  • Risk factors associated with area of residence
• Protective factors
• Conclusion

Available scientific knowledge indicates that, depending on context and circumstances, families can be both a risk factor and a protective factor for juvenile delinquency.^{Footnote 1}

Risk factors

Some of the risk factors associated with family are static, while others are dynamic. Static risk factors, such as criminal history, parental mental health problems or a history of childhood abuse, are unlikely to change over time. However, dynamic risk factors, such as poor parental behaviour, family violence or parental drug addiction, can be modified through appropriate prevention and treatment programs.

Risk factors have a cumulative and interactive effect: a family exposed to several risk factors is considered a high-risk family. Furthermore, children and adolescents exposed to several risk factors will also be considered at high risk of embarking on a life path that will lead to delinquent behaviour.^{Footnote 2} This is because not only do the effects of risk factors accumulate, but the factors also interact with each other: the effects of one multiply the effects of another and so on. For example, parental alcoholism causes family conflicts, which then increase the risks of substance abuse.

Risk factors associated with family dynamic and functioning

Ineffective parental behaviour

• An inadequate family dynamic caused by poor parental practices, such as a lack of supervision,^{Footnote 3} rules that are too permissive, discipline that is inconsistent or too strict, a weak bond, and the inability to establish clear boundaries, were identified as strong risk factors for delinquent behaviour,^{Footnote 4} drug use,^{Footnote 5} poor academic performance^{Footnote 6} and membership in youth gangs.^{Footnote 7}
   
• Adolescents from families characterized by a lack of order and discipline are four times more at risk of engaging in delinquent behaviour as adults than children from structured families.^{Footnote 8}
   
• According to the International Youth Survey (IYS), 56% of youth who stated that their parents never knew who they were with had engaged in delinquent behaviour during the past 12 months, compared to 35% of youth whose parents did not always know who they were with and 12% of youth whose parents always knew who they were with.^{Footnote 9}

Parental criminality

• The Pittsburgh^{Footnote 10} and Cambridge^{Footnote 11} longitudinal studies show that having a father, mother, brother or sister who displays criminal behaviour is a significant risk factor for delinquent behaviour in boys.
   
• Among the risk factors related to parental criminality, criminal behaviour by the father is one of the most influential: 63% of boys whose fathers are involved in criminal activity are at risk of doing the same, compared to 30% of other boys.^{Footnote 12}

Mistreatment during childhood and family violence

• The presence of family violence and being mistreated during childhood are two significant risk factors associated with adolescent delinquent behaviour and violence in adulthood.^{Footnote 13}

Parental substance abuse

• Fifteen-year-olds whose parent use drugs are twice as likely to use drugs themselves.^{Footnote 14}
   
• Fifteen-year-olds whose parents have a drinking problem are not at higher risk of developing a drinking problem.^{Footnote 15}
   
• Amongst 15-year-olds, peer pressure is a more significant risk factor than having parents who drink.^{Footnote 16}

Risk factors associated with family characteristics

• Considered in isolation, the risk factors associated with family characteristics have a less obvious effect on adoption of delinquent behaviour amongst youth. The negative effects are sometimes the result of other factors, sometimes the result of a combination of risk factors.^{Footnote 17}
   
• Boys from broken homes are more at risk of engaging in delinquent behaviour than boys whose parents are still together, but they are no more at risk than boys whose parents are still together but who come from conflictual family environments.^{Footnote 18}
   
• After controlling gender, income and parental supervision, researchers conclude that increased family transitions^{Footnote 19} are significantly related to a higher rate of delinquent behaviour and substance abuse.^{Footnote 20}
   
• According to the Rochester study results, 90% of youth who experienced five or more family transitions showed signs of delinquent behaviour, compared to 64.1% of youth who never experienced family transitions.^{Footnote 21}

Risk factors associated with area of residence

• Family functioning is influenced by social context^{Footnote 22}. Families with few resources and who live in underprivileged areas have more difficulty providing their children with an upbringing that will keep them away from deviant and at-risk behaviour.^{Footnote 23}
   
• Areas characterized by extreme poverty, broken homes and high residential mobility tend to weaken the social networks and community socializing of children, and exacerbate ineffective parental behaviour.^{Footnote 24}
   
• Young children who live in underprivileged areas and grow up in families in which parental supervision is lacking are at risk of engaging in delinquent behaviour as adolescents.^{Footnote 25}

Table 1 - Juvenile delinquency risk factors associated with family according to age of children and adolescents

Protective factors

Protective factors help us to better understand the characteristics and situations that protect and distance youth from delinquent behaviour.^{Footnote 26} Protective factors are characteristics or conditions that act as risk moderators, i.e., they help reduce the negative effects associated with risk factors and help youth better handle their situation.^{Footnote 27}

Protective factors are cumulative and interactive. However, they are not necessarily always the opposite of risk factors; for example, growing up in a poor area can be attenuated by parental involvement, participation and support.^{Footnote 28}

Table 2 illustrates the protective factors associated with family;^{Footnote 29} some examples are listed below.

• Adequate parental practices are a significant protective factor against deviant behaviour such as delinquency and drug/alcohol abuse.^{Footnote 30}
• The quality of family ties is a protective factor against delinquency for girls and boys of all age groups.^{Footnote 31}
• The integration of families into the life of their community, the involvement of families in extracurricular and scholastic activities, and the availability of resources and services are also considered to be protective factors.^{Footnote 32}

Table 2 - Protective factors associated with family

Conclusion

Families that present risk factors for juvenile delinquency must be considered as a complex reality, influenced by various risk factors. The concept of the "at-risk" family must be understood as a whole. Furthermore, we must not forget that family is at the crossroads of many other areas of influence: circle of friends, school and the community.

Families play a key role in the development of children and adolescents. It is therefore important to address those who are at risk by focusing on protective factors and offering training to parents and youth, family therapy, integrated treatment plans or other effective strategies to prevent and reduce juvenile delinquency.^{Footnote 34}

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Date modified:

2022-07-26