{"id":97310,"date":"2026-08-13T19:46:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T00:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=97310"},"modified":"2026-08-13T19:46:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T00:46:51","slug":"adolescent-delinquency-linked-to-unsupervised-free-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/adolescent-delinquency-linked-to-unsupervised-free-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Adolescent Delinquency Linked to Unsupervised Free Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Source:<\/strong> Jos\u00e9 Tadeu Arantes, “Unsupervised free time increases the likelihood that adolescents will engage in violent behavior, 21-country study finds<\/a>,” Phys.org, 12 August 2026.<\/p>\n

“A study involving more than 58,000 adolescents from 21 countries found that “unstructured free time”-defined as periods without adult supervision or activities guided by educational, cultural or athletic goals-is strongly associated with delinquent behavior and exposure to violence among young people.”<\/p>\n

“… the concept refers to the time when adolescents decide for themselves what to do without adult supervision or participation in structured activities.”<\/p>\n

“The analyses showed that the strongest predictor of involvement in crime is association with delinquent peers. However, unstructured free time was a close second as an important cross-cultural explanatory factor. That is, it was relevant in explaining young people’s involvement in crime and situations of violence in all the countries surveyed.”<\/p>\n

“With regard specifically to unstructured online free time, the discussion becomes even more complex. Prolonged exposure to digital environments without mediation can increase exposure to content, groups and opportunities associated with risky behaviors, but it also constitutes a contemporary dimension of youth sociability that can’t be reduced solely to a criminogenic factor”<\/p>\n

“The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother<\/strong><\/em>” (Proverbs 29:15 NKJV).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Source: Jos\u00e9 Tadeu Arantes, “Unsupervised free time increases the likelihood that adolescents will engage in violent behavior, 21-country study finds,” Phys.org, 12 August 2026. “A study involving more than 58,000 adolescents from 21 countries found that “unstructured free time”-defined as periods without adult supervision or activities guided by educational, cultural or athletic goals-is strongly associated…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1033,42,1028,1034],"tags":[665,806,394,29,107],"class_list":["post-97310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adolescence","category-issues","category-parenting","category-teenager","tag-child-rearing","tag-idleness","tag-juvenile-delinquency","tag-parenting","tag-raising-children"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":34855,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/sexting-is-associated-with-risky-sexual-behavior\/","url_meta":{"origin":97310,"position":0},"title":"Sexting Is Associated with Risky Sexual Behavior","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0Eric Rice, et al, \"Sexually Explicit Cell Phone Messaging Associated with Sexual Risk Among Adolescents,\"\u00a0Pediatrics, 17 September 2012. Source:\u00a0Genevra Pittman, \"\"Sexting\" again linked to risky sex among teens: study,\"\u00a0Reuters, 18 September 2012. Source:\u00a0Genevra Pittman, \"Teen sexting: Strong link to risky sexual behavior,\"\u00a0Christian Science Monitor, 17 September 2012. Basic common sense\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7565,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-effect-of-family-instability\/","url_meta":{"origin":97310,"position":1},"title":"The Effect of Family Instability","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Source: Sydney Briggs, \"Family Instability and Children\u2019s Social Development,\" Child Trends, 7 Aug 2019. \"Family stability can promote positive social behavior in children and adolescents, while instability is associated with social maladjustment, including behaviors such as aggression toward peers, teachers, or parents.\" \"Adolescents whose mothers were married at birth had\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36020,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/adolescent-alcohol-use\/","url_meta":{"origin":97310,"position":2},"title":"Adolescent Alcohol Use","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0David Murphey, et al., \"Alcohol Use,\" Adolescent Health Highlight, Child Trends, Publication 2012-34, November 2012. Though continuing a downward trend, alcohol use remains a problem among teenagers despite the fact that the minimum drinking age is 21 throughout the United States. 40% of high school seniors, 27% of high school\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26011,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-link-between-ungodly-entertainment-and-fornication\/","url_meta":{"origin":97310,"position":3},"title":"The Link Between Ungodly Entertainment and Fornication","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Dann via\u00a0Truth Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 2, Feb. 2008. The apostle Paul warned the young man, Timothy, saying, \"Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart\" (II Timothy 2:22). It is obvious from Paul's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/TeenOnComputer.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":35035,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-teenagers-take-risks\/","url_meta":{"origin":97310,"position":4},"title":"Why Teenagers Take Risks","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 3, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source: \"Teens more likely to embrace unknown,\" The Omaha World-Herald, 3 October 2012 An interesting study finds that teenagers are more likely to take risks when they don't know what the odds are, but if they know the odds are poor will avoid dangerous situations. 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