Child neglect, abuse and its effect on juvenile delinquency Research Paper

Child neglect, abuse and its effect on juvenile delinquency - Research Paper Example The unseen types of child abuse are more destructive and make lifetime scars on the victims. This paper is a discussion on cases of child abuse, child negligence, and its effects on juvenile delinquency. The risk factors for child abuse and neglect are families with domestic violence, untreated mental illness cases, alcohol and drug abuse, and lack of parenting skills. Federal law on child abuse and prevention Act (CAPTA) defines child abuse and neglect as, â€Å"Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, severe physical or emotional harm, or sexual abuse† (Child welfare web). Some myths depict that, for an action to amount to a child abuse, it must be cruel and only done by dishonest persons to the child. This is not always the case since other types of injury are invisible and do not include any violence. Additionally, some parents find themselves caught up with acts of violence due to mental and personal problems. Another myth is that child abuse does not occur in respectable families. The truth is that child abuse happens across all tribes, cultures, and economic status including reasonable, bad, and poor neighbourhoods. The following is some forms of child abuse. The first and serious category of child abuse is neglect. Statistics show that of all the child abuse cases reported every year, over 60 % of these cases are of minor neglect. Child negligence is a failure of the parent or a caregiver to bear a child’s basic needs. They may take the form of physical needs like food and shelter, medical needs, educational needs, and emotional needs. Additionally, child negligence result when a child is left alone to suffer from pain and damage from the harsh conditions of the surroundings without any communication from the parents. In such a case, the caregiver’s name and their whereabouts remain unknown. Negligence as a form of child abuse can also be