Family structure and children and youth delinquency

Abstract

The hypothesis on the influence of disorganized family structure upon emergence and sustain of children’s delinquent behavior has been reasserted in the scientific literature in the last decade. Nevertheless, in despite of strong empirical proofs on the existence of the relationship between family structure and delinquent behavior, comprehensive mechanism of that influence has not been established yet. Some of the basic theoretical approaches in explanation of this relationship (social control theory, social learning theory and strain theory) have been presented in this article in conjunction with the results of the contemporary studies. Apart from that, some of the methodological problems that usually emerge during realization of such studies have been discussed, too. In conclusion we have pointed out possible shortcoming of the insufficient knowledge about influence of the family structure upon delinquent behavior in prevention and treatment fieldwork.

Hipoteza o uticaju narušene strukture porodice na nastanak i održavanje delinkventnog ponašanja dece je ponovo afirmisana u literaturi iz poslednje decenije. Međutim, i pored jakih empirijskih dokaza o postojanju veze između strukture porodice i delinkventnog ponašanja, još uvek nema pouzdanog objašnjenja mehanizma putem kojeg se ovaj uticaj odvija. U radu su predstavljeni osnovni teorijski pristupi u tumačenju ove povezanosti (teorija socijalne kontrole, teorija socijalnog učenja i teorija anomije), kao i rezultati relevantnih istraživanja. Pored toga, razmotrena su metodološka pitanja koja se postavljaju prilikom izvođenja studija ovog tipa. Na kraju, ukazano je na negativne posledice koje nedovoljno poznavanje uticaja strukture porodice na delinkventno ponašanje ostavlja na praksu prevencije i tretmana.