The concept of positive discipline focuses on good and bad behavior – there are no bad children, just bad behavior. A parent can reinforce good behavior by respecting and teaching the child to deal with situations in a calm, appropriate manner.
Positive discipline uses several techniques discouraging violent or angry responses to situations that can escalate and result in the child committing a crime.
Factors in Juvenile Crime
One factor in cases of juvenile crime is the youth belonging to a blended family. Children often deal with anger or resentment when a parent remarries.
When a juvenile commits a crime, it’s important for the family to work with an attorney who can help them understand their child’s rights and how the juvenile court system works.
Moses and Rooth, Attorneys at Law have the experience to work with juveniles and their families to resolve the issues and reduce the negative effects on the youth’s future education and job prospects.
Positive Discipline and Stepchildren
When biological and stepparents are joined together as part of a blended family, it’s essential to establish boundaries. Unfortunately, a lot of parents don’t work together in the best interests of their children. When divorced parents experience control issues, the children are usually the victims.
Although everyone won’t agree all the time, some basic ground rules should be established. It’s important to establish a plan for co-parenting. Also, the children and stepchildren in the family need to abide by the same rules.
Juvenile Crime Statistics
There has been a decline in the number of juveniles arrested since 2008. However, 16 percent of violent crimes and 26 percent of property crimes in 2008 were committed by juvenile offenders.
Common juvenile offenses include arson, robbery, drug abuse, violations of liquor laws, disorderly conduct, burglary and assaults. The high divorce rate is a big factor in juvenile crime, in addition to failure in school, peer pressure and little community involvement.
Teaching Natural Consequence
One of the most effective discipline tools any parent or stepparent has to help them in raising children is natural consequence. Natural consequences works best with older children. Younger children don’t understand that the consequences are the direct result of their actions.
The concept of natural consequence is a tool to use when the safety of the child isn’t a factor. For example, a child neglects to get a school assignment completed. If the parent doesn’t intervene and the child’s receives detention at school for punishment, they’re less likely to repeat the behavior.
The Consequences of Juvenile Crime
Unfortunately, a lot of juveniles give in to peer pressure by participating in an illegal activity, get caught and arrested. Depending on the severity of the crime, the arrest could affect the youth’s ability to get into college or negatively affect their job prospects. Young people must realize if they break the law, they’ll be held accountable.
If the youth is taken into custody, they could be held at a juvenile assessment center, be required to complete community service or comply with any court order – all natural consequences of their actions.
The Juvenile Justice System
It’s essential for parents to understand the juvenile justice system and what your young person may be facing. It’s important to have legal representation that will work with you and your child to make sure there’s as little damage as possible and to allow your child to start over.
It’s important to make the transition into the new family as easy on everyone as possible. One of the most important lessons biological parents in blended families can teach their children is the step-parent is the authority figure when their mom or dad isn’t present and that they must be obeyed.
What do you do if your child’s accused of a crime? Learn about the common laws a teen might be tempted to break and the kinds of punishments that can be imposed if the laws are broken.
