How does family contribute to juvenile delinquency Essay

How does family contribute to juvenile delinquency - Essay Example If all these functions, especially those of child protection and affection are neglected, this would inevitably lead to a juvenile delinquent in our midst. Structural Functionalism is the theory which focuses on society as an entity in which all of the components work together cooperatively and cohesively for the betterment of the overall society (http://ryoung001.homestead.com/AssessingTheory.html). It is said that the goal of structural functionalism is equilibrium or balance in society. As the basic unit of society, the family also has an important role to play as pertaining to this theory. The child should be nurtured and cared for, brought up in a loving environment, and given all the support and affection he/she needs. All members of the family should work for this goal. If the family cannot fulfill this function in society, then the functionalism theory can be deemed fruitless. An example of this would be if the child had no father and was being supported by a step-father. If the stepfather always yells at the child when he makes small mistakes, and gets a whipping when he commits bigger mistakes, then the child will develop inn er hatred for the stepfather, which may develop into something else later on. This will become even a bigger problem if the mother ignores the way the stepfather treats her child and even consents to it. Hence the child grows up in an unstable family environment which may lead to juvenile delinquency later on. The Conflict theory shows how conflict is the catalyst of social change and societal growth, rather than cooperation and cohesion. (http://ryoung001.homestead.com/AssessingTheory.html). This theory is said to be the opposite of Structural Functionalism and it thrives on the concept of conflict as the precursor of change. Sometimes, it is the conflict itself in the home which reinforces the possibility of social problems arising. When there