Research Paper Final Draft

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1 Research Paper Final Draft Bradly Jones Liberty University Online CJUS310: Juvenile Justice (B01) Professor Jeffrey Godwin July 3 rd , 2023

2 Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2. Chapter 1 - Delinquency and Broken Homes 3. Chapter 2 – Education and Delinquency 4. Chapter 3 – The Effects of Divorce 5. Chapter 4 – The Role of Fathers 6. Chapter 5 – Argument of Validity 7. Chapter 6 – Closing Thoughts

3 Abstract Criminal justice centers on the protection of innocents from illicit actions that pose an immediate risk to the safety of the general public. Those who engage in unlawful behavior come from all nationalities, genders, and most shockingly ages. Juvenile delinquency is an epidemic plaguing the youth of America with little signs of slowing down. The primary question in the minds of law enforcement on this issue is what major factor has contributed to the creation of child criminals? The family dynamic is the single greatest influence in the procreation of a delinquent generation. Research shows that kids living under untraditional families, divorce, or fatherless homes are statistically more likely to engage in crime and are more readily willing to participate in said activities due to being ethically compromised. The way in which a family operates directly correlates to the influence illegal actions have on the minds of youth. There is still hope to fix this issue however. By returning to God’s original design for marriage and family true healing of the heart may begin and at risk children may be saved from a future of self-destruction. Keywords: divorce, biblical morality, ethics, marriage, fruits of the spirit, fatherlessness, role model, juvenile delinquency, academics

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4 Chapter 1 - Delinquency and Broken Homes The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6, KJV, 1769/2023). The fulfillment of this commandment is the responsibility of every parent, in that; they are required by God to educate their children in the ways of the Lord. It is through the familial unit that Biblically inspired ethical concepts such as morality, self-control, and patience are learned equipping the next generation for success in a fallen world. According to the book The Broken Hearth by William Bennett the role of the modern family is to be, “…the arena in which moral understanding is shaped” (Bennett, 2002, Ch. 2). Proverbially speaking, the concept of a united family shields the potential of one’s members from the advances of illicit actions or criminally promiscuous influences. Unfortunately, when this ironclad system begins to dissolve the children underneath it begin to fall as well. The procreation of delinquent tendencies in the lives of adolescents is directly linked to the format of their family dynamic. Chapter 2 – Education and Delinquency One such example of how an individual’s familial organization can lead to a future of criminality is easily observable through academics. The article Family structure and children's educational outcomes: blended families, stylized facts, and descriptive regressions by Donna Ginther and Robert Pollack for the National Library of Medicine offers this observation, “… educational outcomes for both types of children in blended families—stepchildren and their half- siblings who are the joint children of both parents—are similar to each other and substantially worse than outcomes for children reared in traditional nuclear families” (Ginther and Pollak, 2004). Children raised in broken homes or mixed families possess a higher probability for being academically stunted. Due to the continual educational shortcomings that come as a product of

5 one’s living conditions, said individuals are often demonized by those institutions that claim to champion towards one’s success. As stated in the article The Process of “Pushing Out”: Accumulated Disadvantage across School Punishment and Math Achievement Trajectories by Jason Jabbari, “Students drop out of school for a variety of reasons, yet are ‘pushed out’ when they exhibit traits that are deemed undesirable to school officials, such as misbehavior and academic failure” (Jabbari, 2021, Para. 1). As a result of the compounding disadvantageous atmosphere children of mixed homes find themselves in, delinquent culture tends to be more alluring due to it possessing no discriminatory foundations or a lack of possibilities. Essentially, one’s lack of educational prowess predisposes them to a life full of negatively influential mentalities. As the Bible warns in Ecclesiastes 7:12, “For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it” (Ecclesiastes 7:12, KJV, 1769/2023). Chapter 3 – The Effects of Divorce Divorce is another phenomenon that contributes to the rise of illicit activities in the lives of adolescents. The Bible says in Matthew 19:6, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6, KJV, 1769/2023). Marriage is made to be unbreakable and forms the basis on which a child’s nature is defined. When this truth is ignored, however, the resulting damage ensures the statistical increase that someone’s child will become involved in illegal activities. According to the article The Influence of Family Structure on Delinquent Behavior by Cashen Boccio and Kevin Beaver, “a meta-analysis by Wells and Rankin (1991) that examined 50 studies found that parental divorce was associated with a 10–15% increase in the likelihood of delinquent behavior” (Boccio and Beaver, 2017, Para. 4). The purposeful destruction of one of God’s strongest covenants results in

6 a tidal wave of unforeseen trauma. While it is true that not every child subject to divorce will engage in juvenile delinquency, parental separation definitely does position children in an atmosphere more susceptible to criminal activity. The elimination of familial absolutes promotes those afflicted by it to pursue any welcoming alternative, regardless the ethical concerns of society. Chapter 4 – The Role of Fathers The issue of fatherlessness, however, is one of if not the biggest contributor behind the creation of a delinquent generation. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, KJV, 1769/2023). As said previously, it is the role of the familial unit to instill morality into the kids associated with it. This is only half true. While both parents share equal responsibility for the well being of their children, it is the divinely appointed role of the father to be the enforcer of these lessons and provide absolute instruction for the creation of strong men and women. According to the article Missional fatherhood as a strategy to inmates who struggle with father absence: Building hope through a programme by Fazel Freeks, “The epidemic of absent fathers is a causal factor of the urgent social problems such as teenage pregnancy, child abuse, neglect and domestic violence or crime, and many more factors” (Freeks, 2020, Para. 1). It is through fathers that boys learn to be strong leaders and girls learn to value themselves. Those who choose to abandon their responsibility as the leader of their household essentially guarantee a future of delinquency for their offspring, since said children have no definitive role model in which to emulate. The article The Impact of Role Models, Mentors, and Heroes on Academic and Social Outcomes in Adolescents by Hamna Atif, Lindsey Peck, Mary Connolly, Kodi Endres, Leah Musser, Mariam Shalaby, Morgan Lehman, and Robert P Olympia

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7 offers this analysis, “Identity formation is a dynamic process…that begins in adolescence. During this time, children look to adults as role models and mentors. These adults can have a significant impact on adolescents’ decisions of appropriate or inappropriate behaviors” (Atif et al, 2022, Para. 1). It can be argued that mothers supplement this position of a role model when required, but it is clear through scripture and societal examples that fathers are essential for happy and healthy families. Chapter 5 - Argument of Validity In today’s world of mixed familial ideology, the viewpoints expressed above are commonly seen to be oppressive and biased towards those persons who sexually identify with different gender roles or engage in homosexual behaviors. This is primarily due to the fact that said stances are based upon a biblical reality that very explicitly details the consequences of living a sinful lifestyle. The issue had is not with the statistical truth of the information itself, but rather its source. If God exists and his reality is absolute, then those who practice sexual immorality and pervert the familial structure as a result are subject to judgment. This conflicts with the zealous mission statement held by these groups of “love is love”. According to the urban dictionary this phrase states that, “love expressed by an individual or couple is valid regardless of the sexual orientation or gender identity of their lover or partner” (Urban Dictionary, 2020). The inherent selfishness of this clause emanates the intention behind its teachings, in that; humanity is the primary source of love. Placing humanity at the center of morality is in total opposite of the parental role discussed in chapter one and vividly shows the true conflict expressed in society. It is not whether juvenile delinquency is truly brought about by one’s family unit, but rather that God takes away man’s power to dictate reality. The research provided here for the establishment of criminal activity in at risk youths is generally ignored due

8 to its spiritual nature. Since criminality is a form of rebellion and rebellion is a form of sin, it can be logically concluded that delinquency as a concept is grounded in the absolute nature of the supernatural. While the opinions expressed by the opposing party are valid from an emotional stance, in reality the evidence shows that a biblically defined familial unit is the only avenue of protection that ensures infallible protection from a life of crime. Chapter 6 – Closing Thoughts Children are the most precious gift given by God unto the people of the world. The Bible says in Psalms 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalms 127:3, KJV, 1769/2023). It is the intention of the Lord that those entrusted with a child’s safekeeping impart the protection of the Holy Spirit unto them, through the installation of scriptural morality in their hearts. It is through said teachings that the fruits of the spirit are manifested in their lives and delinquency or any other form of rebellion is discouraged. Criminality, by its definition, is the perversion of lawful living through rebellion. Because of this, it is sinful in design and destructive in nature. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 15:23, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel 15:23, KJV, 1769/2023). Juvenile delinquency, as a form of criminal behavior, is equally enveloped in demonic influence. The Devil’s main mission is to kill, steal, and destroy the soul of anyone he can. The methods listed above of academic persecution, broken families through divorce, and fatherless homes contribute to the annihilation of a child’s physical and spiritual future. To put it simply, the structure of one’s familial dynamic influences the pull of delinquency on the children beneath it. The biblical definition of family, as defined by a heterosexual marriage living in an everlasting covenant with God, exists to protect children and parents alike from the consequences of living in a fallen world. As long as children are brought

9 up with role models that exemplify the values of Christ, criminality as a whole may be avoided in the lives of future generations.

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10 References Atif, H., Peck, L., Connolly, M. B., Endres, K., Musser, L., Shalaby, M., Lehman, M. E., & Olympia, R. P. (2022). The Impact of Role Models, Mentors, and Heroes on Academic and Social Outcomes in Adolescents. Cureus . https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.27349 Bennett, W. J. (2002). The Broken Hearth: Reversing the Moral Collapse of the American Family [EBook]. Crown. https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9780385504867/epubcfi/ 6/14[%3Bvnd.vst.idref%3Dc02]!/4/2[c02]/18 Boccio, C. M., & Beaver, K. M. (2017). The Influence of Family Structure on Delinquent Behavior. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice , 17 (1), 88–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204017727836 Freeks, F. E. (2020). Missional fatherhood as a strategy to inmates who struggle with father absence: Building hope through a programme. Verbum Et Ecclesia . https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v41i1.2052 Ginther, D. K., & Pollak, R. A. (2004). Family structure and children’s educational outcomes: Blended families, stylized facts, and descriptive regressions. Demography , 41 (4), 671– 696. https://doi.org/10.1353/dem.2004.0031 King James Bible. (2023). King James Bible Online . Accessed June 13, 2023, from https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Proverbs-22-6/ Urban Dictionary: Love is love. (2020). Urban Dictionary . Accessed June 13, 2023, from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Love%20is%20love

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