What Americans are less likely to realize is that the federal and state juvenile correctional systems act as though such evidence did not exist. Since then, federal and state agencies have not looked at the relationship between intact marriage, other family structures, and juvenile delinquency. Even the new census, however, does not appear to seek information on the relationship of family structure to juvenile crime. Limited state data strongly suggest that this is a significant oversight. Congress has a role in improving the data on juvenile delinquency.
Good research helps public policy formation.
This would be a first step toward helping the nation both to understand one of the root causes of juvenile crime and then to design programs that reinforce the important institution of the family to drive down juvenile crime. The Heritage Foundation is committed to building an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity and civil society flourish. The Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation is a Member Organization.