The Importance of the Family as a Factor in Modern Theories of Delinquent Behaviour of Children and Youth

Abstract

The paper explains the importance of the family as a factor in the leading micro-and macro-level origin theories of delinquency and determines the roles they assign to it in explaining the aetiology of such behaviour. The analysis showed that micro-level origin theories emphasise the family role of upbringing and socialization as particularly important, shaping both the conformist and the antisocial patterns of behaviour, while macro-level origin theories find the main causes of deviance in the structural characteristics of society and recognise the family as a mediating factor between society and the child. The analysis also identified the shortcomings of the studied theories. Because they are based on research conducted in the US and Western European countries, they cannot be fully applied in explaining the aetiology of delinquency in all societies. In addition, micro-level origin theories do not take into account the characteristics of society that can influence the choice of parenting methods, the development of their parenting style and their decision as to which values they will pass on to children, while macro-level origin theories do not question in what way deviant behaviour is influenced by the characteristics of societies whose economic, legal and cultural systems have been unstable for decades, or those whose social systems have collapsed and not yet been re-established. Based on this analysis, it can be concluded that despite the important role that parents have in the adoption/prevention of antisocial behaviour, the framework in which they will perform this role is determined by the society's characteristics.