Good Example Of Essay On Lack Of Paternal Care Causes Gang Involvement

Nowadays many children are raised by single mothers due to divorce or any other reasons. However, mothers can not fulfill the father’s role in the upbringing of a son. Boys need to spend time in the company of men. The boys do not become men only because they were born in a man’s body. They must learn to behave accordingly, taking the example of the father, grandfather, elder brother. Father's role in the upbringing of the son is to instill the male behavior and outlook on the basis of own example. Father is an authority and support for the son. Even if the relationship between parents is not very good, it is still better for a child to communicate with the father.
Numerous studies have shown a correlation between delinquent behaviour and absence of paternal care. Boys are likely to become involved in gangs if they lack paternal upbringing. According to the statistics, the majority of American gang members come from single parent families. Many members consider the gang as their family. Recent New Zealand investigation has found that up to 60% of juvenile criminals had no fathers (Covey, 2010). Thousands of teenagers who had never had fathers run the streets and look for those who can provide them a sense of identity and security. If there are no mature men around, they eventually find them in gangs. In other words, teenagers join gangs because they are seeking for support and protection. Some gang members from female-headed families confessed that the gang gives them a sense of male camaraderie.
Adolescence is a time when children start looking for their identity. To obtain the approval and recognition, lots of teenagers get involved in gangs, which can meet their needs since gangs can give boys what they could not get in the single mum families. Troubled teenagers who have no fathers can receive in gangs not only approval, but also money, food, activities, companionship and even love. Children do not run into a gang, they run from their troubles and get involved in gangs.

References

Covey, H.C. (2010). Street gangs throughout the world (2nd ed.). Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher Ltd.