By Staff Writer
This past weekend was Mother's Day, an annual event in which children recognize the positive impact that their moms have had on their lives.
However, a new study reveals that some mothers have the opposite effect on their kin. The report, which was conducted by researchers in Australia, states that children of moms who have been convicted of a crime are twice as likely than the average person to engage in their own criminal activity, according to ABC News Australia.
The findings are based on an examination of 700 people in six families. Researchers tracked their criminal records over several generations, the news provider reported.
A total of 22 percent of sons of law-breaking mothers were convicted of a serious crime, while 17 percent of daughters whose moms were behind bars also got into legal trouble, according to the media outlet. Both rates were double those of children whose maternal guardian was not a criminal.
Parents who are abusive or neglectful of their children can also put them at risk for future criminal behavior. According to ChildHelp.org, kids who are abused or neglected by their parents are 59 percent more likely to be arrested as a juvenile.
Adolescents who engage in criminal activity may benefit from boot camps for troubled teens.