Understanding Delinquency as a Sequel of Father–Son Relationship

Abstract

Fathers are indispensable in the lives of children. They are responsible in the nurturing and grooming of children and they enable the children go through a smooth transition into adulthood. They play versatile roles at different stages of their life as role models. As a father, he is invested with a responsibility to bring up the child, inculcating discipline and values by demonstrating love and concern. Unfortunately, many children are not privileged to experience the love of the father in their life either because of his absence or due to the negative traits exhibited by him that make their life traumatising. This study was conducted to understand the impact of such relationship from the child offender’s perspective of their father. Adolescent boys, lodged in observation homes in Assam, were interviewed from a constructivist approach using grounded theory methodology to explore what they perceived about their father. Crucial categories emerged from their sharing, ranging from a responsible to an aggressive father whose absence left a void in their lives and whose presence led to an embittered relationship. Effective parenting skills and alternative care programmes to strengthen the relationship between the child and the father, and also creating support systems to ensure that children grow up in the protective environment of the family are emphasized in the study.