There is a growing trend of our Malaysian youth showing disrespect for the law. What is more worrying is the rise of violent crimes committed by them. This fact is confirmed by our newly-appointed Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar when he took office this year. Many community leaders have voiced their concern as well. In particular, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Vice-Chairman of the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation has raised pertinent questions which are waiting to be answered, i.e. why are our youths behaving this way? Why are they putting their future in jeopardy?
A review of empirical evidence in the professional literature of the social sciences lead us to a common factor in answering these questions; i.e. the family. The first home truth; the increase in violent crime parallels the rise in dysfunctional families. Families are considered dysfunctional when conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other family members to accommodate such actions.
Dysfunctional families are primarily a result of co-dependent adults, and may also be affected by addictions, such as substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, etc.). Others also include untreated mental illness and parents emulating or over-correcting their own dysfunctional parents.
A common misperception of dysfunctional families is the mistaken belief that the parents are on the threshold of separation and divorce. While this is true in a few cases, often the marriage bond is very strong as the parents’ faults actually complement each other. In short, they have nowhere else to go. However, this does not necessarily mean the family’s situation is strong. Any major stressor, such as unemployment, illness, natural disaster, inflation, etc. can cause existing conflicts affecting the children to become much worse.
The second home truth; youth criminal behavior has its roots in habitual deprivation of parental love and affection going back to early infancy. Most delinquents have a chaotic, disintegrating family life. This frequently leads to aggression and resentment toward others outside the family.
Engaging the help of kindergarten teachers and teachers of primary school in identifying children coming from severe dysfunctional families is high on the list because the type of aggression and hostility demonstrated by a future criminal often is foreshadowed in unusual aggressiveness as early as age five or six. Listing the help of professionals to nip the problem in the bud is comparatively easier rather than when these children have turned into criminals. Their families should be helped professionally not condemned.
It was only until recent decades, the concept of a dysfunctional family was not taken seriously by professionals (therapists, social workers, teachers, counselors, religious leaders, etc.), especially among the middle and upper classes. Any interference would have been seen as violating the sanctity of marriage and increasing the probability of divorce. Children were expected to obey their parents (ultimately the father), and cope with the situation alone.
The most effective way to buffer these innocent children from crime is for mothers to bond them with love. The mother’s strong affectionate attachment to her child is the child’s best safeguard against a life of crime.
Third home truth; most delinquents are children who have been abandoned by their fathers. They are often deprived of love and affection. The benefits a child receives from his relationship with his father are notably different from those derived from his relationship with his mother. Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University, observed that most criminals suffer from an absence of the father’s affection.
The dominant role of fathers in preventing delinquency is well-established and this phenomenon was highlighted in studies by Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck of Harvard University which sums up father’s dominance as what many children often hear their mothers say; “Wait till your father gets home!”
Many fathers abandoned their families, when the responsibilities of life and parenting become too much for them. Reasons of abandonment cited include: their own abandonment issues from childhood, problems with the children’s mothers, addictions, unable to handle parental responsibilities at the time, are among other reasons that cause men to leave. Besides education, laws should be made more stringent in ensuring that fathers are punished for leaving their family.
Fourth home truth; inconsistent parenting, family turmoil, and multiple other stressors compound the rejection of these children by their parents, many of whom became criminals during childhood. Findings from research conducted by Kevin Wright confirm that children raised in supportive, affectionate, and accepting homes are less likely to become deviant.
We should engage the help of religious leaders more because empirical evidences have shown that neighborhoods with a high degree of religious practice are not high-crime neighborhoods. Religious leaders’ roles in instilling good values to individuals who in turn will be leaders of their own families are urgently needed and these values could be inculcated among others; through Friday sermons and many other awareness programs.
Fifth home truth; marriage is an important institution. It needs to be propagated because researchers have shown that criminals who are capable of sustaining marriage normally would gradually move away from a life of crime after they get married. However, it should be noted that parties to the marriage should be taught rights and responsibilities that marriage entails before committing themselves to it. This is because evidence has proven that the sudden increase of crime is the loss of fathers and mothers’ capability to be responsible in caring for the children they bring into the world. This loss of love and guidance which originates from dysfunctional families has broad social consequences for children and for the society at large.
Empirical evidence also shows that too many youths from dysfunctional families tend to be hollow and individualistic. The absence of love has caused them to have a much weaker sense of connection with their society. They are prone to abuse and exploit the society by involving in crimes to satisfy their unmet needs or desires.
If policymakers are to deal with the root causes of crime seriously, they must not only recognize the connection between the breakdown of families and various social problems especially crimes but to work harder in helping our troubled teens from dysfunctional families. They need moral guidance and must be taught to exercise personal responsibility. Their family needs to be trained professionally to work on personal relationships based on true love and respect and to adhere to a common code of conduct. In this hurried world, these could only be done if one really makes time for it.