Parents must teach and encourage their children to behave within a certain set of clear and realistic expectations. Children who underachieve in school for example may have parents whose expectations of them are comparatively lower. Child service workers may have to intervene to help parents set limits and positively reinforce appropriate behavior.
The removal from the home and placement of children outside the home has been linked to delinquency among juveniles. Research has suggested that children who are removed from their homes or frequently transferred between foster homes will exhibit higher rates of delinquency (Bennett, 1960; Towberman, 1994). The out-of-home placement factor has the potential to create serious problems for the child as it may exacerbate many of the other previously mentioned factors such as instability, quality of home life and attachment formation. Researchers suggest that service providers avoid removal from the home whenever possible and to minimize the frequency with which a child moves between foster homes (Shumaker, 1997).
Inconsistent discipline has been found as a significant, contributing factor to juvenile delinquency. Parents, who ignore inappropriate behavior, are negligent about consistently punishing all misbehaviors with pre-established punishments or who threaten punishment but don't follow through with it will raise children who are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior (Glueck & Glueck, 1950; Laub & Sampson, 1998; Wells and Rankin, 1988). Social workers and other professionals might need to help families establish guidelines for appropriate conduct and consequences for misbehavior.
In addition to the previously discussed contributing factors, there are several theories that attempt to explain why juveniles engage in criminal behavior. Current research suggests that delinquent behavior is learned behavior and not genetically encoded.