Juvenile delinquency has become an increasing problem in society today. In response, a vast amount of research has been done on the subject, government programs and initiatives have been set up In addition, an expansive juvenile justice and rehabilitation system has also emerged.  Over the years, research has revealed that troubled youth typically came from a family background that includes several risk factors. These factors include low-income, single-parent households, household where parents have a low level of education, and certain other factors that could create barriers that may inhibit the family to properly prepare their child for school (USDHHS, 2011). In response, the Parent-Child Home Program was initiated by 1965.  By eliminating certain risk factors, it was believed that juvenile delinquency could be prevented later on in life.

In 1965, The Parent-Child Home Program was initiated in order to test this hypothesis. The program trained home visitors who “use a light touch approach that is non-didactic and empowers parents” (USDHHS, 2011). Home visitors worked with children and parents to promote positive parenting skills, build positive parent-child interaction and to help develop early literacy skills. Due to its inception in 1965, there have been many studies conducted to ascertain whether or not the program has been effective. Studies used standardized tests to test program children versus non program children with similar risk factors.  Statistical analysis was then used to determine if there was a real correlation between children that participated in the program and a success later on in life.

The Parent-Child Home Program has been accepted as a success due to the number of times the program has been implemented and shown positive statistical results. The number of years has given researchers a vast amount of cases from which to pull information. The more information that is available over time, the more sound the statistical results will be. One example of the programs success comes from the King Center Charter School at the King Urban Life Center in Buffalo, New York.  For the past 5 years, families determined at risk were allowed to enroll their child into the Early Admission Program. All participants were given the option to participate in the Parent-Child Home Program as well. Children whose parents participated in the program were tested when entering kindergarten, when leaving kindergarten and in the third and fourth grades. Their results were then compared to the test results of children who did not participate in the program. The children who participated in the program showed statically higher rate of success when compared to non-program students at all three levels. Since children who do better in school are less likely to turn delinquent, the program has proven that early childhood intervention is key to preventing juvenile delinquency later on in life (Parent-Child.org, 2011).

Another study followed participants over the years from 1967 to 1984. Information gathered from the study showed “significant ongoing positive effects on participating parents interaction with their own children, in contrast to a control group of families” (Parent-Child.org, 2011). Long-term studies such as this one have given the researchers more substantial evidence on which to determine the success of the program.  It has been shown in this studies and similar ones that what occurs in early childhood has dramatic effects on children later on in life. To prevent children from having delinquency problems later on in life, it is necessary to eliminate certain risk factors later on in life. Programs such as the Parent-Child Home Program allow the juvenile delinquency issue to be addressed and treated before its inception.

The Parent-Child Home Program focuses its efforts on tackling factors that are known to cause child abuse and neglect. It is often the case that parents that come from abuse often pass this down to their children. The Parent-Child Home program works with parents to help them break the cycle of abuse and have a chance at a more normal and healthy relationship with their own children.  As the program continues to grow,  the positive results will hopefully become more apparent and help to reduce the number children who grow up to become delinquents.