Nicolette Perez

English 102
05 March 2015

The Root of the Issue

If you are asked to name the last few things you remember reading online or seeing on
the news, how many of you would be listing off different crimes or criminals? If given the
following words: language, respect, friendship, parenting, morality, honesty/integrity, and
accountability, what ties them all together? The trend between those seven topics comes down to
parenting. Some of those topics cease to exist in our world today and those that may be visible
they do not carry the same importance they once did. Language, respect, relationships, morality,
honestly/integrity, accountability and parenting are all behaviors that each individual learns
throughout their lifetime. Similar to the telephone game you played as a child in elementary
school starting off with one message and it completely transforming into a whole different
message; active parenting as a whole has transformed throughout the years with crime, dropout
rates, and overall lack of respect is to show for it.
In 1960, it was estimated that 288,460 violent crimes were committed according to the
U.S. Department of Justice. During this same time frame the family structure norm, was a two
parent household with only eight percent of children living in a single parent household. Take a
look at the statistics for 2012, the estimated total violent crimes jumped to 1, 214,464 with now
27 percent of households being a single parent household. The crimes combined with the stress

of one parent not only raising these children, but also doing the upbringing while working to
financially support these children. When one parent has all the responsibility one their children,
but isnt always physically there for the child this leads to other people available to influence the
child. Those influences may not always be the ones that will bring the most positive light to this
child and often enough could be the same influence that could lead the child down the life of
crime.
Language is our form of communication to those around us; this includes the choices of
words we decide to use. Growing up it was not acceptable to use any sort of curse words under
any circumstances and especially not to any adult or person of authority. This was something
that was taught to children and it was not an option it was an expectation. Using appropriate
language to your superiors is a form of respect that frankly our generation extremely lacks. Go to
YouTube and it is almost guaranteed that you can find a video of a group of youth not only
yelling and cursing at other people, but physically hurting them at the expense of a few laughs
from their peers. Since when did this become the norm to our generation? Why is it acceptable
for you to disrespect a random stranger, but it wouldnt be acceptable if someone did this to
someone you know. When did parents stop teaching their children morals and knowing right
from wrong? Each child learns language from those around them. Although we learn to properly
communicate at school, this is not what you hear when are at home and that is the language you
use the most.
This generation no longer has the ideal family with both parents present in the home, but
there does not justify the lack of discipline and parenting. There may be more broken homes, but
just as many broken children that are being raised by their teachers, televisions and the
community in general. Im not sure that broken families can contribute fully to the lack of

parenting; being raised solely by my father since I was four years old. My father worked at
minimum ten hours a day, six days a week and I was taught respect, accountability, integrity,
proper language usage. As the parents continue to get younger, the social issues tend to grow
bigger. You do as you know and if you do not know any better, you will act accordingly.
Parenting is a responsibility and commitment that many take on without the proper tools to
provide the basic necessities to our youth and I am not talking about the normal basics: food,
clothes and shelter. Respect, accountability, integrity, and morals is a necessity to better this
world we live in.

Works Cited
"Family Structure." Child Trends. 9 Mar. 2015. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.
"Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics." Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics. Web. 3
Mar. 2015.
Vespa, Jonathan, Jamie M Lewis, and Rose M Kreider. "Americas Families and Living
Arrangements: 2012." 1 Aug. 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.