Why are today's children committing so much crime?

Question

I live in Canada and ever time I turn on the news I see horrible murderous crimes committed by children. Crimes so bad I can't even give examples. I believe that poverty caused by inflation and taxes is to blame. Why would a person kill you for your ride if they could afford their own. What do you think?

Answer 1

It's very complicated. One reason, I feel, is that there is just so much of it around. Kids are exposed from the earliest ages to TV, news, radio, music, video, movies - and so violent. It becomes normal to them and not at all shocking. The other reason is that there is little or no guidance from adults, be they parents, grandparents, teachers, etc.. They are left to grow up on their own. Parents are out working to try to buy things, but overlook the fact that kids need guidance and rules to learn to be human - not the latest things that we can buy for them. I am the mother of three teenage girls and I am very fearful for them in today's world. I am stressed by the things they see and hear that I cannot control.

Answer 2

the kids are trying to do more than the kids before who can smoke the soonest? who can have sex the soonest? Etc,etc and the discipline of children at the same time has become less and less. I know I am old fashioned on this subject but a Good whack every now and then to show who's boss is not a bad thing. When you ground a kid you people send them to there rooms which are more entertaining than your average home entertainment center I put the kid to work real work not just setting the table painting the garage or cleaning out the cellar or mowing the lawn washing the car they want to grow up fast they can do grown up work. I also can't stress enough about the music they listen to that rapp crapp especially it's very violent and allowing kids to play mature video games like vice city is begging for such horrid monsters. This fad of being like a ghetto gangster has got to go these kids look up to these idiots as role models and then you wonder where it all went wrong well pal look in the mirror everytime you allow the kid some leeway the kid pushes a mile so push back 2 miles and restore oreder and rezspect in the home. Computers are another area where parents are way too leinient don't be afraid to monitor there computer activities and don't let them have a computer in there room. You would be amazed how little time they spend on the porno areas of the net. Guns and drugs are way too easy to get kids are taking drugs younger and younger and are now used to be mules because if they get caught they get a slep on the wrist and go right out and do it again learning that the justice system is nothing to be feared and then people wonder why things are going to hell in a hand basket.

Answer 3

I don't think you can say it is because children today are more deprived. Until these days teenagers never thought about 'killing you for your ride', first because teenagers didn't expect to own a ride and second because not so many adults had them either.

These days things cost way less than say 16 years ago:

TV's 25% of 1990 prices
Fax's 25% of 1990's prices
Computers 10% of 1990's prices for vastly superior equipment
Cell phones 10% of 1990 prices
Supermarket food 50% of 1990 prices
Cars 80% of 1990's prices
Clothing cheaper etc etc

At the same time wages and welfare benefits have gone up and interest rates and annual inflation have halved.

I agree with you about the delinquency trend but if you want to make an excuse for them you need to find a different one.

Answer 4

Children that go this far, to commit felonies, have been in a psycological quandry for years now, between criminalists and the courts, it's simply not known what to do about these childhood Mafiosos. The parents scream false, they stand behind them at every turn to "ptotect them" as the child stands, teary eyed and looking sad, at the way they're being treated, for maybe "harassing an older person and even killing another child. Knowing all to well, they are the ones protected by the law, also. So, what's the answer? "boot camps" don't work, it makes them tough. Detention until of age, then prison, lock them away forever, a waste of life but, whos to blame and, now what, forever? Bill Cosby asked, "where's the parents" when they had a gun and the parents knew, where's the parents when both worked and the kid was a latch key kid? I worked for a large complex in the Southwest, we had a huge problem with kids at night. Due to single parent families, and both parents working, we had at one time twenty-seven (27) kids that wandered the complex of thirty-five four plexes and six plexes, 27 mind you. This was an invasion. Guards couldn't walk a beat at night, they, The kids would get on the roofs and drop water bombs on them, rocks and toss fireworks at them. The parents were at a quandry as to what to do. When we started arresting them, fourteen one night, six of the parents never missed the kid, the parents then screamed "fault" against us, the adults. We had to start evicting the parents and, eventually went to "no kids" adults only after a time. It settled the argument but, bless the apartments they moved to, they were going to need it.

Answer 5

There is no standard answer to your question. Parents are to blame in some situations. Children are the responsibility of their parents from birth to age 18. Yes, teens make their own decisions, but the parents are still the responsible party. If the children are raised with moral values, and to understand the meaning of right and wrong, and are held accountable for their actions at home, they will have some understanding that their actions away from home have consequences.

Children now are exposed to so much that previous generations were not exposed to until adulthood, if at all. Graphic and gratuitous violence, promiscuity, and the internet with all of its wonderful options - many of which are not suitable for a young mind. Again, it is imperative that parents know what their children are doing, and answer their questions honestly, not with "because you aren't old enough".

Part of the blame can go to the promoters of the excessively violent movies, video games and even television shows, who, even with a rating for older audiences, promote these products and shows to the younger audience who are ill-equipped to deal with these themes, or discern reality from fantasy.

Every generation has had it's share of kids who, with the best of "raising", still go bad. But, having children myself, if you equip them with the knowledge and morals at a young age, and instill in them a value system that respects human life and the property of others, instead of trying to be their "friend", most will refrain from the horrendous crimes we are inundated with on the evening news.

Regardless of the reasons, parents should be willing to accept their responsibility for their children to age 18. This includes being aware of a child's activities, friends, interests - all facets of the childs life. Maintain an interest in your child's education - this does not stop at the end of elementary school. Parents should be accountable for their children as much as possible. It goes without saying that a child who goes out and shoots up a school did so without parental knowledge, but more needs to be said about why the parents had so little knowledge of their child's actions that such things come to pass.

We have become a people who "pass the buck" - it's someone else's responsibility or problem. Taking responsibility for ones own actions, and as responsible adults taking seriously the responsibility of being a parent, will go a long way to ensuring the next generation will do the same.

Answer 6

One of the problems (and I don't mean to sound old-fashioined because I work too) is that there are more and more single mothers and these mothers have to work full-time and be away from their children. Fifty years ago the majority of women stayed home to be housewives and mothers. They had the opportunity to watch everything their children did and dote on them with attention. Now children aren't being watched and they aren't receiving the attention that their parents and grandparents received. A lot of the crime is a way of grabbing attention from the ones they love because they can't get it anyway else. A lot of parents don't have the time or want to to slow down and take a look at their children's lives until that child does something violent and ends up in trouble.

Answer 7

Children have no discipline in our country in today's society. Schools have abolished corporal punishment, and parents can be arrested for child abuse if they "spank" their kids. If fear isn't installed in children (for their own safety) when they are young, they end up believing they can (and do) get away with anything. There are also so many broken families, and parents who abuse drugs and alcohol; leaving the children to raise themselves. Without proper structure, rules, and regulations, anyone and not just children test their boundaries and eventually will fall over the edge.

Answer 8

I think it is because parents spoil them too much. When the cops bring home your 12 year old for vandalizing, and the parent starts going off on the cop, the kid thinks it's ok to break the law. It;s ridiculous. Parents should be able to give kids a good whoopin, like when I was little, not have to walk on egg shells around there brats.

Answer 9

High inflation and cost of living that requires both parents to work outside of the home and not watching over them as much as they wish they could. Poverty, lack of adequate medical care for the uninsured, having to pay almost $4.00 for a loaf of bread, etc.

Thanks for your question!

Answer 10

because they are furstrated about the things they want but can't have...the TV and media in general dictates how you should be, what is cool and what isn't...if their parent can't provide them with the material things they want then they'll commit crime for the things they want...since they are children they have no sense of guilt as their mind is not socially developed...

the main reason behind crimes is desire, envy and need....