CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL ISSUES

INFLUENCING CARIBBEAN FAMILY

LIFE
What are social issues?
Social issues can be defined as widespread behaviour that:
 a large section of the population within society, thinks is undesirable or
unacceptable.
 directly or indirectly affects large numbers of people.
 conflicts with what society generally agrees to be right.
 is generally viewed as a problem.
 is not easily solved.
Some current social issues:
1. Juvenile delinquency

 This term describes antisocial and sometimes criminal behaviour carried

out by young people. (Some examples are; getting drunk and disturbing
others, vandalism, intimidation, fighting, shop lifting and missing
school.)
 Many other factors can contribute to delinquency, such as, an abusive
home, poor parent-to-child communication and negative peer pressure,
poverty, lack of opportunity and boredom.
Possible strategies to deal with juvenile delinquency:
 Delinquency may be avoided if struggling parents receive counselling
or training.
 If a child can experience a loving and nurturing environment.
 Provide after school facilities are provided and younger people can be
engaged in positive activities.
Strategies to alter the behaviour of juvenile delinquency are:
a. Holding after-school life-skills classes.
b. Arranging parenting skills sessions with a psychologist.
2. Street children
 Street children are deprived of homes, affection, protection, food and
education.
 They suffer poor health and constantly face the threat of violence.
 They may have escaped an abusive family, been evicted or had been
orphaned.
 They may beg for money and join gangs.
 Children may avoid ending up on the streets if their parents receive
training to prevent problems that can lead to children leaving home and if
more help is available for families struggling with poverty.
 Some may have addictions to substances, such as; drugs or alcohol.
 Substance abuse can lead to a dependency on crime, to fund an addiction.
Possible strategies to prevent the problems experienced by street children:
 greater numbers of foster parents.
 day centres to provide food and health care.
 counselling to assist with trauma.
 facilities to teach vocational skills which could lead to employment.
 specialist educational facilities.
 childcare for the children of street children.

3. Sexually transmitted infections

 Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are passed from one person to
another through sexual contact.
 Many common STIs can be cured.
 STIs/STDs can be hard to detect and may cause no symptoms.
 Left untreated, some can lead to serious long term health problems,
infertility and even death. (Examples are gonorrhoea and chlamydia
 The most serious sexually transmitted infection is the HIV virus, which
can lead to a person developing AIDS, for which there is no cure.
N.B: - Good sex education and access to items that prevent the transmission
of infections, such as condoms, can reduce infection rates. Those already
infected need care through counselling and support, and also medical
treatment.