Chapter eight was like many of the other chapters in that it gave a closer and deeper look into how delinquency is caused in children. However, this chapter mainly focused on the family or “home” life. The chapter begins by explaining that family dysfunction is a key element in the emotional shortfalls that eventually lead children to long-term social problems. The chapter goes on to explain, the changing American family, child care and its negative effects on children, economic stress on the family, and finally, the “ most enduring controversy” of the family breakup.
The traditional American family is changing. In the traditional American family the husband make s the money and the wife takes care of the children, however this is no longer true. The sex roles have changed dramatically over the last few decades. Today approx. three fourths of mothers are employed. According to this changing American family theory the fathers are now spending more time at home with the children, and the mothers are spending less time. Today in the U.S there are about 70 million children. Of these 70 million almost 30% of them live in one parent households, which is typically a single mother household. These numbers are far worse for African American children.
Another main issue this chapter illustrates is childcare, and its negative consequences on the children. Today millions of children receive some form of childcare on a regular basis from people other than their parents. Childcare is usually looked at as a negative thing since typically one person is caring for more than one child at a time, which is not advantageous to the child. The book also clarifies that children in poverty are much ore likely to be in childcare than children form well-off families.
Finally the main point that my section seems be convening is that of the broken families. A broken home is a home that either one or both parents are away due to divorce or separation. The book describes that this is an...