AS American Eagle Robbed at 3:15 PM (crime, homes, school)

[newat6]

I wish I could say this was surprising, but it's not. And with all the cops in AS. At least they caught the punks.

Bandits strike again *| ajc.com

[elvez]

I wonder how many of these young thugs had fathers in the home? They should hunt down their fathers and throw them in jail as well. I'm sure they would blame it all on racism anyway.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by elvez

I wonder how many of these young thugs had fathers in the home? They should hunt down their fathers and throw them in jail as well. I'm sure they would blame it all on racism anyway.

The majority of children grow up in single-parent homes now, but an overwhelming majority of those kids are not criminals. It's not whether or not the criminals have a father in the home...but whether they have at least one effective parent, other adult role models, are successful in school, grow up in a violent or impoverished environment, and variety of other factors. To blame criminal behavior on simply growing up in a single-parent home isn't valid.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

The majority of children grow up in single-parent homes now, but an overwhelming majority of those kids are not criminals. It's not whether or not the criminals have a father in the home...but whether they have at least one effective parent, other adult role models, are successful in school, grow up in a violent or impoverished environment, and variety of other factors. To blame criminal behavior on simply growing up in a single-parent home isn't valid.

That doesn't mean that parental negligence or the lack of a parent in general isn't a factor. It just means it isn't the only one, or may not be the only one.

I don't think you should arbitrarily discount it as a factor.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

That doesn't mean that parental negligence or the lack of a parent in general isn't a factor. It just means it isn't the only one, or may not be the only one.

I don't think you should arbitrarily discount it as a factor.

I didn't dismiss it as a factor...did I come across that way? That wasn't my intention.

I was trying to separate parental negligence from growing up in a single-parent home. The absence of a father (or mother) is not the cause of criminal behavior...having one involved/effective parent is much better than having two parents who don't have time for their children. But there are lots of factors involved that could cause a 16 year-old child to commit a crime like this one.

[atlantagreg30127]

Having supportive people in your life when growing up will enhance you life, but NOTHING replaces caring PARENTS - people who you know are your mother and father, who care enough about you to teach you life's lessons and how to contribute to the world.

Is a big brother, involved teacher, friendly neighbor or minister or social worker a substitute? No. They will enhance what good parents give their child - they will in most cases not replace one or fill in the void these kids feel from not having parents in their lives. And yes, in many cases I do think you can blame the fathers for this social problem. There is an epidemic of "make babies and run" fathers out there right now, and where can most of them be found? In and out of prisons, themselves. Their forgotten kids will follow in their footsteps, and so will theirs, and then the next generation, etc etc.

Aside from that, which is an issue that can be taken up by others who are experts in social behavior, the "He came from an unloving home" bit will only go so far as well. You know it's wrong to go into a store (breaking in or otherwise) and run out with $$ worth of stuff that doesn't belong to you. You can't say, "oh, I didn't have a daddy, I didn't know this was wrong!" and get out of it. The "you do the crime, you do the time" bit needs to fall into play here and those 16 and 17 year olds need to pay for what they did with real prison time and not juvi court. Who knows - maybe they'll meet Dad in prison and they can have some quality bonding time there - away from those who choose to adhere to the law.

[brownhornet]

I get sick of people blaming the single parent thing as a cop out. I grew up around MANY that were in single parent homes that turned out to be just as well off as those with 2 parents in the home. Hell there are plenty of kids WITH two parents that are just as ineffective as not having any at all.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

I get sick of people blaming the single parent thing as a cop out. I grew up around MANY that were in single parent homes that turned out to be just as well off as those with 2 parents in the home. Hell there are plenty of kids WITH two parents that are just as ineffective as not having any at all.

That was my point (that I'm not sure I worded effectively). One involved, caring parent is much more effective in a child's life than two absentee parents. Millions of kids come from single-parent homes and are decent, law-abiding citizens.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

I didn't dismiss it as a factor...did I come across that way? That wasn't my intention.

I was trying to separate parental negligence from growing up in a single-parent home. The absence of a father (or mother) is not the cause of criminal behavior...having one involved/effective parent is much better than having two parents who don't have time for their children. But there are lots of factors involved that could cause a 16 year-old child to commit a crime like this one.

I may have misunderstood your original post, and I agree with everything you say above. Well said!

[AcidSnake]

Lt Governor Casey Cagle came up in a single parent home and he is a well-adjusted successful business person and politician. He is a happily married man. TV personality Judge Greg Mathis is example of a man who came up in a single parent household and pulled himself up by his bootstraps to make it big in the legal arena and in media. He is a great family man as well.

There are many more examples I'm sure but those two examples should at least give folks on this thread some pause before they go on their "single parents suck" rant.