Fix the Family, Fix Crime
Strengthening family structures and addressing the impact of broken homes can help fix crime in Australia.
Repairing, as best we can, the epidemic of broken homes should be part of youth crime prevention strategies.
While no family is perfect, encouraging the conditions in which families can thrive will lessen the incidence of fatherless homes — a known factor in youth crime, incarceration rates and poor educational outcomes.
The Queensland Government Statistician’s Office last week released a report which showed the number of young criminals in Queensland jumping 5.2 per cent to 11,191 offenders, with 11 of those charged with murder.
Family First believes an audit should be conducted to see how many of the 11,191 offenders came from two parent homes.
This is of course not to condemn single parents or suggest that many do not do a good job raising children; it is just a fact that intact families with a married mother and father have a massive headstart statistically when it comes to positive outcomes for children.
Fix Crime? Fix the Obvious
In a feature article last September, Time Magazine summarised what has been known for decades, but because of political correctness and cancel culture, rarely discussed:
The evidence is clear, even if the punchline is uncomfortable: children are more likely to thrive — behaviourally and academically, and ultimately in the labor market and adult life — if they grow up with the advantages of a two-parent home.
Numerous academic studies confirm that children raised in married parent homes are less likely to get in trouble in school or with the law; they are more likely to graduate high school and college; they are more likely to have higher income and be married themselves as adults.
Research suggests that boys are especially disadvantaged by the absence of dads from their homes. These facts are indisputable.
Family First recognises that the problem of youth crime cannot be dealt with in isolation to the problem of family breakdown.
What is happening, or not happening, in Queensland homes has a direct impact on what is happening on the streets.
Here’s what the Courier Mail reported this week:
The statistics showed a shockingly young offenders aged between 10 and 17 committed 10,873 break-ins, triple the number of the closest other offender group of 18-24.
The report also revealed the cohort committed 4,041 assaults, 514 sexual offences and 1,347 robberies.
Overall there was a staggering 11.2 per cent increase in Queensland’s crime rate in 2022-23 compared to the year before, with 11,089 offences committed per 100,000 people.
The number of crime victims also soared to 61,458 unique people, marking a 16.7 per cent increase in victim numbers per 100,000 people.
This spike was driven in part by increased property crime, with the data showing there were more than 51,000 break-ins in 2022-23, representing one in every 12 offences.
The youth crime wave is of course not restricted to Queensland – most Australian states are suffering with wall-to-wall Labor Government’s unwilling to police crime properly.
The Sensible Way to Fix Crime
Politicians of all persuasions sadly can’t define a woman, so they are paralysed when trying to define the best family structure for children.
This means family-friendly policy is difficult because no one knows what to focus on.
Family First is committed to family policy that promotes heterosexual marriage so children, wherever possible, have the opportunity to experience the love of both mother and father.
Not all family breakdown can be prevented, but much of it can with determination and focus.
One of the biggest contributors to family breakdown is financial pressure. That’s why Family First is committed to tax reforms, such as income splitting, to make it easier for families to raise their children in the best way they see fit.
Strong families build strong communities which in turn build strong nations.
It’s in the national interest to prioritise family policy.
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Republished with thanks to Family First. Image courtesy of Unsplash.
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While there is merit in what is written,I believe it is not always the parents fault. The school system is partly responsible…and we have no control over the social connections of our kid’s friends once they reach a certain age.
Two parent Christian families have their share of this kind of grief with their children as well.!we can commit our children to God and raise them in a loving and secure home and some of them still go off the rails…..we have this problem in our family with one of ours and it is very distressing to say the very least, now that he is 30 years of age..We can only continue to pray for him.
Time magazine is drawing general conclusions which are not true….our son came from a married parent Christian home and did not thrive academically ,in adult life or the labour market, has been in trouble with the law since he was 17 years old, single with ADHD and depression , was always in trouble at school, now can’t hold a job, behaves terribly, no idea about relationships…now 30 years old .Time magazine needs to have a look at the parents like us who have to live with the consequences of an education system that failed our son despite all our efforts and prayers at home …combined sometimes with the poor choices young people make despite efforts by parents and good education and upbringing in church.
It’s also very clear that later generations are radically different from former even when their parents have a big impact.
There is a lot of generational friction and little in common. Plus the number of influences outside of the home have exponentially increased: internet brings new movies music podcasts audio books forums exclusive communities and affirmation for any minor personality quirk or identity problem someone has
If you find a home (via online community) with similarly confused people, surely you are less likely to grow out of it on your own.
So yes parents are the primary responsibility and perhaps the biggest influence, but they need to be tech literate and journey with their children in the digital world: or risk being a secondary influence on them.
Friends, I ache for your grief, which comes through clearly.
Yes financial security is very important- but more important is our spiritual security.
There’s really only one way to get that and keep it : take Jesus Christ at His word, in every area of life and engagement. And persevere with Jesus, whatever happens. He sees, knows, loves, holds and binds the broken hearts … there’s a right time for everything.
But since the living God has been deliberately shut out from many schools, many workplaces, many parliaments and even many families, our society is starving for the knowledge that gives us spiritual security – from which everything else is gradually placed in right perspective.
Thank you, Lyle, for your great initiative in resurrecting Family First Party. Press on with majoring on family, life, faith and freedom. These are inescapably closely connected, and we need them all, individually and collectively.
Don’t worry about the gainsayers – every dog must have his day. Stand for the living word of God – Jesus Christ the Righteous One. Only His Word will withstand the relentless attacks against it, and enable those who believe it to ultimately gain the victory.
The battle is The Lord’s, and He can’t lose.
this is great. amen. thanks.
Great article Lyle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!