NCJ Number
65107
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 15-19
Date Published
1980
Length
5 pages
Annotation
FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINALITY AND DEEMED TO BE AMENABLE TO FAMILY THERAPY ARE IDENTIFIED FOR A SAMPLE OF 4,500 TO 5,000 OFFENDERS IN NEWARK, N.J., AND KENYA, AFRICA.
Abstract
FAMILY DEFICIENCIES DETERMINED TO CONTRIBUTE TO CRIMINALITY WERE POVERTY, A LACK OF FAMILY AUTHORITY FIGURES (MOTHER OR FATHER), REJECTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHILD, ABSENCE OF FAMILY COHESIVENESS, DIMINISHED RESPECT FOR THE HOUSEHOLD UNIT, AND LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY IN THE FAMILY STRUCTURE. OTHER FAMILY DYNAMICS NOTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINALITY WERE THE CHILD'S ASSIMILATION OF THE CRIMINAL ATTITUDES OF PARENTS OR OTHER RELATIVES, THE CHILD BEING DRIVEN FROM HOME BY INTOLERABLE FAMILY SITUATIONS, THE HOME FAILING TO TEACH THE CHILD TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS IN A LAW-ABIDING MANNER, THE PERSISTENCE IN THE GENERAL COMMUNITY OF HABITS OF DISOBEDIENCE FORMED IN THE HOME, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TENSIONS AND EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES IN THE HOME. THE PREVENTION OR MODIFICATION OF CRIMINALITY ARISING FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED FAMILY DYNAMICS AND DEFICIENCES CAN BE AIDED BY THE USE OF ACCEPTED FAMILY THERAPY TECHNIQUES. THE FAMILY THERAPISTS'S FUNCTION IS TO HELP THE AT-RISK CLIENT AND THE FAMILY BY FACILITATING THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE FAMILY SYSTEM. FAMILY THERAPY INVOLVES THREE BASIC, BROAD STEPS: (1) THE FAMILY'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE THERAPIST AS ITS LEADER, (2) THE THERAPIST'S EVALUATION OF THE UNDERLYING FAMILY DYNAMICS, AND (3) THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORS BY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WILL TRANSFORM DEBILITATING FAMILY INFLUENCES. SOME FAMILY THERAPISTS HAVE BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN ALTERING DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE FAMILY TRANSFORMATION TECHNIQUE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)