Lack Of Closeness To Parents Trigger Children Entangled In Criminal Acts

Illustration of parenting for parents and children affects behavior. (Freepic)

JAKARTA - The phenomenon of increasing involvement of children and adolescents in criminal acts, such as theft, bullying, to physical violence, is a serious focus in the world of education and social.

Many of those who were dragged into this deviant behavior turned out to come from a family background that did not pay enough attention, emotional closeness, or adequate moral guidance. Permissive environments and lack of supervision make children tend to imitate the negative behavior they see around.

Child and family psychologist, Sani B. Hermawan, a graduate of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, revealed that the low quality of relationship between parents and children can trigger children to be involved in deviant behavior or criminal acts.

Basically, children are in the process of learning through what they see, hear, and experience everyday life. They absorb value from the spectacle, the surrounding environment, as well as directions from parents," Sani explained when interviewed by ANTARA in Jakarta, Monday.

As Director of the Insani Daya Psychology Institute, Sani explained that children's ability to distinguish between right and wrong is often not carefully formed. As a result, they are vulnerable to being affected by the environment, especially if they are not equipped with strong values from the family.

The lack of open communication, meaningful interaction, and joint activities in the family, according to him, make children lose role models. The values that should be instilled from an early age are actually defeated by the negative influence of the social environment and the media they consume.

"When children rarely get quality time with their families, the positive values that should be conveyed are not absorbed properly. In the end, it is easier for children to receive values from outside that are not necessarily appropriate," he added.

The absence of family values also has an impact on children's ability to control emotions. When the wishes are not fulfilled, children can show aggressive reactions that lead to acts of violence or crime.

"For example, when a child wants something but doesn't know how to achieve it properly, they can choose the wrong shortcut. The inability to regulate emotions is also a trigger," he said.

Therefore, Sani emphasized the importance of parents' active involvement in children's education, both psychologically and spiritually. This approach is considered an effective preventive measure to keep children away from the risk of engaging in crime.

He also encourages collaboration between parents, teachers, and the surrounding environment in monitoring and understanding the condition of children as a whole.

"By understanding what is really going on with children, we have a greater chance of preventing them from falling into deviant behavior or dangerous actions," he concluded.