Absent Fathers

• The fathers of many juvenile delinquents are not a part of the child's life or are incarcerated themselves. This absenteeism diminishes the structure that a child receives from a male figure. Juveniles may not properly learn about authority, responsibility or proper behavior from outside sources. Much of a young person's life is spent in the home, and present fathers can have a significant positive influence on a child's social development.
  
  

Single Mothers

• In households with absent fathers, the mother has to bear the brunt of being both the breadwinner and nurturer. Much of her day is spent working and balancing the duties of multiple roles. Her children can spend much of the day without even seeing her, which is not conducive to a healthy home atmosphere. Older siblings often are the ones predominantly raising their younger siblings. Children raising children is not an ideal scenario, especially if the older sibling didn't benefit from a stable upbringing in their own right.
  
  

Working Parents

• Even in stable households, many families feature two working parents. This has become normal as traditional roles, both in society and the home, have changed over the years. With both parents spending a significant time at work, children can return from school to an empty house. Naturally, this gives children more freedom and a higher potential of getting into trouble. When a parental presence is lacking, children are more likely to try things, especially in the presence of peers.
  
  

Parent-Child Relationships

• Juvenile delinquency is much more likely to occur in children who feel rejected by their parents. Parental rejection is one of the strongest correlates of juvenile delinquency. Additionally, parents who create an atmosphere of conflict in the home are more likely to have delinquent children. Children in these situations are more likely to avoid being in the home, so they are out on the streets with other potential delinquents. Children also mimic the behavior they see in the home. Therefore, delinquents are more likely to demonstrate aggressive and abusive behavior outside of the home.