Family and the emergence of deviant behaviour among children and adolescents

It is often made out that juvenile deviance directly hinges upon social and official tolerance. In this, family plays a critical role. Parental reacti on to different forms of juvenile deviant behaviour paves the way for law-a biding or law-violating behaviour. This is best exemplified in a slum conte xt. The present paper focuses on a shanty colony in the metropolis of Delhi . To get at the dynamics of social deviance and social tolerance, children and adolescents (N=100) and their parents (N=100) have been interacted with . Their socioeconomic background is typically of slum dwellers: low educati on, unsettled occupation and low income. interestingly enough, parents' rea ction to juvenile anti-social and pre-delinquent behaviour is strong; but i t is indifferent insofar as delinquent behaviour is concerned. Apparently s ocial milieu and lifestyle in slum neighbourhoods is relatively more tolera nt of delinquent behaviour. Parents need to be sensitised on these issues, if we have to have a socially healthy upcoming generation.