Can you prevent juvenile delinquency?

Knowing that your child has committed a crime in California may cause you anxiety and sadness. You may desire to help your child see that ongoing delinquency will only lead to worse problems.

When you minimize the risks of delinquency, you may have the ability to facilitate a healthier, safer and more rewarding lifestyle for your child.

Maintain open communication

Communicating with your child is arguably the most effective way to build a relationship. According to cyberparent.com, an absence of connection from a young age may leave your child feeling apprehensive to approach you and increase the risks of juvenile delinquency. When your child experiences new situations that may cause discomfort or curiosity, a breakdown in communication may encourage deception.

Express your desire to connect with your child. Proactively engage in conversation and ask about topics that your child finds important. This may include school, extracurricular interests and social relationships. If your child expresses concern about something, find creative ways to turn a conversation into a learning experience. Draw upon your own experiences to provide concrete examples of resilience and success.

Stay involved

If you do not know what your child does when you are not around, you may inadvertently enable delinquency. Contrarily, staying involved may encourage responsibility and honesty from your child. You can set clear expectations for behavior. Use a reward system to promote compliance. When your child’s behavior violates your agreement, use consistent and fair discipline to discourage future disobedience.

If your child faces incarceration or detention, continue to stay actively involved in his or her life. Your effort to maintain a relationship and encourage better behavior may provide the needed comfort during a difficult time.