Of Children and Innocence Cause and Effect Essay There are many theories as
to why violent juvenile crime is on the rise in the United States. Some
theorists state that it is the collapse of the family unit, while others say it
is violence in the media or the environment in which a child is raised.
Actually, it is a combination of many varied internal and external forces. But
first, one must go to the beginning, to the very root of a child’s age of
self-awareness. Children are born with the capacity to learn. Hate, envy,
racism, selfishness; these traits are not instinctive, rather, they are learned.
It does not matter where anti-social traits are initially experienced, whether
it is found in the home, or school, or even in the nursery, the results are the
same. Children that are exposed to violence at an early age could have a
propensity towards violent behavior as they mature. Children must be shown that
violent behavior is not acceptable, and traits, such as compassion, are
acceptable. Too many children today are left alone or unsupervised by guardians
and parents. In today’s society, it is a common trend for both the mother and
father to work. Young children are many times left in the care of schools,
friends, neighbors, and relatives. In these cases children behave in ways that
imitate real life. Children observe violence on television, at their school, or
at home.
In a child’s eyes, violence is an acceptable behavior because it is observed
as being acceptable. It is imperative that young children are guided and taught
the differences between right and wrong. In a perfect society, this is all well
and good. Unfortunately, perfect societies do not exist. If the core fundamental
moral structure of a child’s undeveloped personality is firmly established,
there is a very good chance that violence will not be a part of that child’s
adult future. Child psychiatrists have found that a child becomes self aware
around six years of age. The first five years of a person’s life is sometimes
referred to as the “age of innocence.” Too many children today have never
experienced the age of innocence. These children more often become adults with
developed undesirable anti-social behaviors. A very high percentage of violent
adolescents were found to have had come from a disturbed and sometimes violent
homelife. When these same adolescents were asked if they could recall happy
moments in early childhood, most could not recall any. Most certainly, the
violence seen on television, in films, in newspapers and periodicals only
amplified the acceptance of violent behavior. In order for society to find a way
to control violent youth, society must start with the newborn generation, and
continue working with each successive newborn generation, until instances of
violent behavior begin to subside. There is a solution, but the solution would
require understanding and participation of all parties involved. This would mean
Federal and local governments, schools, churches, day care centers, and
ultimately, both parents. The solution could take years, even decades to
implement. But it must be done soon if we ever expect to see a change in our
youth within our lifetime.
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