Going through the juvenile justice system interrupts schooling, employment, and other activities. When using crack, juveniles are unable to perform their responsibilities to other persons. This means that employers lose out by juveniles being absent or being unable to fully perform their jobs. Family members lose out by their family member's inability to function and be supportive in the family. Teachers have worse classes because juveniles are unprepared and unable to participate fully in classroom activities.
Babies born to crack-addicted parents have serious medical problems with lifelong consequences.
The state can take the child away from the mother and put the child into foster care or with willing relatives. Children separated from their parents have a more difficult time adjusting to life. Crack houses create major problems for people living in the neighborhood. Long-time residents are threatened, violence becomes commonplace, and families live in fear. Neighborhoods empty out around crack houses or people live with a sense of being trapped.