DEGRADED FAMILY AS A CAUSE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

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Degraded family refers to a family structure that has experienced significant breakdowns in its fundamental roles and functions. This degradation is often manifested in various forms, such as domestic violence, neglect, substance abuse, or severe financial instability. Such family environments lack emotional support, supervision, and social norms typically provided by a stable family. As a result, children growing up in such families may develop behavioral issues, lack proper role models, and have limited access to education or positive social interactions. The author first addresses the etiology of juvenile delinquency, emphasizing that the deficient and degraded family is a fundamental and decisive cause of delinquency among young people. In addition to highlighting the accepted definitions and understanding of deficient and degraded families, the paper emphasizes the degradation of the family in a broader sense, indicating that the degradation of the family as a core social institution is a contributing factor to juvenile delinquency. The causal relationship between juvenile delinquency and family dynamics is illustrated by some statistical data from Serbia and the USA. In the conclusion, the author emphasizes the degradation of the family as a natural institution, which serves as a fertile ground for a degraded family in the criminological context. Finally, the author sees a return to traditional, conservative values as a possible path to the 'healing' of the modern family.