Fernando, 16, Finds a Sanctuary in Crime Essay -- Fernando Morales Cas

Research indicates that a combination of adverse socio-economic factors such as poverty, abusive or neglectful parents, and living in a violent environment, along with personal vulnerabilities such as impulsivity, puts a child at risk for delinquency and crime (Barnet & Barnet, 1998). Fernando’s story depicts how individual factors interact with environmental factors to shape an individual’s life. Social influence: Family and neighborhood Research shows that risk for crime behavior is worsened by poverty and lack of positive influences like a loving father, good neighbors or a teacher willing to reach out to the troubled child. (Barnet& Barnet,1998). A stable social environment gives the child the emotional security he requires, especially when he begins to explore his world (Lederer, 2010). Fernando lacked a stable social upbringing and received an early exposure to violence through physical abuse from his father and witnessing events like uncle hitting his grandmother. Elliot (1994) pointed out that these forms of exposure to violence during childhood increase the risk of violent behavior during adolescence by as much as 40 percent. Loebar et al. (1986) noted that children who go on to engage in persistent antisocial behavior are likely to have felt the effects of such parental behavior as harsh, inconsistent discipline, inadequate supervision, lack of involvement or rejection. The message that Fernando’s fat her’s abusive behavior communicated was that anger is a weapon and the willingness to harm confers status and compels respect (Barnet & Barnet, 1998). The effect of living in a high crime neighborhood had a devastating effect on Fernando’s upbringing, which was already marked by abuse and neglect. Fernando was pres... ....). NY: Jason Aronson. Bowlby, J. (1988). â€Å"Developmental Psychiatry Comes of Age.† American Journal of Psychiatry, 145(1), 1-10. Elliot, D.S (1994). Youth Violence: An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.cde.state.co.us/artemis/ucb6/ucb61092ad719942internet.pdf Goldstein, E. (1995). Ego psychology and social work practice. New York: The Free Press. Lederar, A (2005). On The Failure to Attach. Retrieved from http://www.radconsultancy.com/RAD-Articles/on-the-failure-to-attach.html Ojakian, E (2011). Mahler-Learning Theory [Class Handout], Silver School of Social Work, New York University, NY Siegel, Larry J. (2005). Criminology. California: Thomson Wadsworth. Tierney, John. "Fernando, 16, Finds a Sanctuary in Crime", The New York Times Company http://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/13/nyregion/fernando-16-finds-a-sanctuary-in-crime.html