NCJ Number
184972
Date Published
1999
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This chapter attempts to explain and understand the relationship between family functioning and violent behavior apart from other types of delinquent or antisocial behavior.
Abstract
The article focuses on the relationship between family functioning and predatory violence, that is, violence that occurs as part of delinquent or criminal behavior. Unless specially noted, findings are based on research on males; applicability and generalizability to females are not known. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding specific relations; patterns of delinquent and violent offending; and related risk factors among different subpopulations of offenders, as those factors can have important implications for intervention and prevention. The article also examines parental criminality, maltreatment, parenting practices and family relationship characteristics, contextual influences on family functioning, and implications for prevention. A major problem in seeking to understand the specific family factors associated with adolescent violence is that few studies have focused on violence as opposed to delinquency more generally. Even so, family factors have been consistently related to youth violence. While the focus of this paper was on predatory violence, there is evidence to suggest that similar family factors are related to involvement in relationship violence. The article suggests that inclusion of the family in the treatment of violent offenders appears to have the most powerful impact. There is not likely to to be any significant change in behavior absent change within the family, and maintenance of change is largely dependent on family functioning. References