The Statistics
Although the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention maintains that the juvenile arrest rate for violent crime is at its lowest level in the last 30 years, there are still an average of 262 arrests for violent offenses per 100,000 youth in the United States. Today's parents must face the challenge of keeping their children from becoming involved in crime and becoming another sad statistic.
Lead by Example
Parents are one of the greatest influences on their children and their first and best teachers. Young children learn to talk, walk, and interact by watching their parents. As children grow up, they look to their parents to provide guidance, information, nurturing, and expectations. Teens say their parents are more influential in their decisions than friends, teachers, coaches, and the news media.
Action Plan
The National Crime Prevention Council offers sound advice for concerned parents. These tips offer more than just advice telling parents to teach their kids that “hurting others is wrong” or “drugs are bad for you.”