Take a look at the childhood histories of juveniles in incarceration, and you will find that most have endured trauma that has changed them, given them a different world view, made them less empathetic, more defensive and often blinded them to the basic norms of social behavior.
If you’re tough enough to read the ACE questionnaire, it will give you an idea of what most juvenile offenders have dealt with in their youth. ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experience. The questions are used to determine a base line of trauma experienced in a juvenile offender’s life. Here goes:
Prior to your 18th Birthday…
- Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? Or made you afraid that you might be physically hurt? Y/N
- Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often push, grab, slap, or throw something at you? Or ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured? Y/N
- Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? Or attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you? Y/N
- Did you often or very often feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? Or Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to, or support each other? Y/N
- Did you often or very often feel that you didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? Or your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it? Y/N
- Was a biological parent ever lost to you through divorce, abandonment, or other reason? Y/N
- Was your mother or stepmother often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? Or sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard? Or ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife? Y/N
- Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker, alcoholic, or who used street drugs? Y/N
- Did a household member have depression, mental illness, or attempt suicide? Y/N
- Did a household member go to prison? Y/N
In a study of 9000 participants, subjects who reported 4 or more of any of these adverse experiences in childhood, were 2.5 times more likely to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease, 3 times more likely to have had 50 or more sexual partners, 7 times as likely to consider themselves an “alcoholic,” 12 times as likely to have attempted suicide, and 46 times more likely to have used intravenous drugs.
According to another study, 90% of incarcerated juveniles reported a history of maltreatment and loss. If it is not already crystal clear, the fault for these people lies in a lack of safety, love, encouragement and support in the home. Moral decay and violence have replaced those experiences that are necessary to healthy child development. To drastically slow the train of incoming juveniles to our jails and prisons, we need great parents. Believe it or not, people today think harder about getting a dog than about having a child.
Seriously, if you’re going to be a crummy parent, how about you stick with the dog.
Nancy
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