Delinquency and criminality among foster children are intricate matters that are impacted by numerous variables. Youth behavioral changes stem out of instability, irregular caregiving, and disruptions in familial ties. According to experts, people may engage in criminal activity as a result of these unfavorable situations. The prevention of delinquent behavior and the provision of a stable environment can help foster youth achieve positive outcomes by addressing the underlying cause.
The relationship between foster care and delinquency in the context of child welfare raises important concerns about the experiences of young people in these systems. Children who experience foster care frequently struggle with the effects of broken family relationships, unreliable support networks, and the never-ending search for a stable home. The complex relationship that exists between delinquency and foster care must be understood to identify the risk factors that may make young people more likely to commit crimes. Developing comprehensive strategies to support and guide foster youth towards a path of resilience and positive development requires an examination of these dynamics.
Foster children are family temps
Adoption in Child Time
Shuffled and shunted from home to home
Often lost in time till graduation
into independent living
Their effect flattened and neutered
by society’s unconcern
No surprise that they strike back
in dispassionate anger
Offending a society
that has not befriended them
Children in foster care are doomed to live uncertain lives. A developing child who needs to find his or her elemental identity without roots and stability finds it frustrating when there is a drift in foster care and a lack of a permanent home. A solid foundation is necessary for self-awareness and the bravery to take risks.
Extended stays in foster care can lead to more than just detachment and the loss of intimacy. Aggression can result from frustration. A turbulent upbringing gives rise to a deeply ingrained, frequently subconscious rage. Even though it can be handled and socialized in a healthy environment, untreated childhood anger can explode later in life.
People with limited empathy and those who lack the morality that is typically developed through caring for the welfare of others are likely to turn to violent crimes and other negative behaviors.
A hazardous person is created when bitterness, rage, and a lack of empathy are combined. The literature on mental health refers to these individuals as “psychopaths.” The term “psychopaths in the making” is used to describe children who are multi-placed. Individuals with a past in foster care are diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder, and Antisocial Personality at a considerably higher rate than the overall population. Delinquency and crime are frequent external manifestations of these DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses.
In 1969, Travis Hirschi published Causes of Delinquency, which introduced his theory of Social Bonding. His main goal was to advance knowledge of the factors that lead to juvenile delinquency. According to Hirschi, the “bond” is a child’s experience and is made up of four systems: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. It is thought that children with insufficient levels of attachment are morally unrestrained. They frequently behave impulsively and without empathy or conscience. Kingsley (2009) provided an overview of the extensive research supporting Hirschi’s theory, which holds that a major contributing factor to juvenile delinquency is a lack of attachments and relationships.
Many other studies confirm the significance of social bonds in preventing delinquency:
More than 70% of prisoners at the State Penitentiary have been in foster care at some point. (The State Legislature of California)
According to a federal study on former foster care wards, 75% of young people in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system had previously been in foster care. (Bayles et al, 1995) Strong social ties make it more likely for kids to comply when they are tempted to act inappropriately and prevent them from becoming delinquents. (Furstenberg et al, 1995)
A National Association of Social Workers survey found that eighty per cent of Illinois’s incarcerated population had been in foster care at some point. (Azar, 1995)
Early attachment issues are known to become more widespread in adolescence and pave the way for adult attachment failure. As a result, there is an increase in violent and thoughtless criminal activity. The research on the connections between attachment, juvenile delinquency, and adult criminality was compiled by Greenberg in 1999.
Numerous studies have revealed that between 30 and 40 per cent of foster children have experienced an arrest after being released from foster care. More than 25% have been convicted of a crime, and more than 25% have spent at least one night in jail. In contrast, in 2005, just 3.2% of the total population was either incarcerated, on probation or on parole. (Alexander & Huberty, 1993) (Courtney et al., 2001) (Barth, 1990) (U. S. Department of Justice, 2005).
Nearly 20% of juvenile offenders were placed in foster care at some point during their childhood. Additional data reveals that only 14% of children who remain with their biological families have been arrested at least once, compared to 44% of children placed in foster care. One explanation for this unexpected but important difference is bonding. Even in abusive homes, children can still benefit from having close relationships. Foster children live in transitional homes, are prone to abrupt moves, and don’t form deep emotional bonds. (Doyle, 2007)
The relationship between adult crime and violence and foster care background has been extensively studied and verified by numerous other writers. Among them are Fanshel et al. (1989), Freedman et al. (2000), Desai et al. (2000), Haapasalo (2000), Keck (1995), Lloyd (1998), and Steinhauer (1991). After leaving the foster care system, children face a variety of challenges, such as interactions with adult and juvenile justice systems. They run a higher chance of becoming involved in crime and delinquency. Living in group homes increased the likelihood of delinquency by double. Ryan et al. found two significant indicators of a better result in 2007. School enrollment was one. The alternative was “placement stability,” which is another term for a long-term residence.
The interconnected problems of delinquency and foster care highlight how critical it is to solve systemic flaws and offer strong support systems for young people who are at risk. Foster care systems face a difficult terrain due to the intricacies of broken family relationships, irregular caregiving, and the need for stability. As we consider the ramifications of these issues, it is clear that a comprehensive strategy is required, with stability, mental health support, and community involvement coming first. By making investments in these areas, we can work to end the cycle of delinquency and provide foster youth with the tools they need to overcome hardship and build bright futures. The key to maximizing the potential of these resilient people and providing them with a pathway forward is our joint endeavor to fortify the foster care system.
Written by Diya Pillai | Edited by Nirjara Poptani
