ots in early childhood and early aggressive behavior is a strong predictor of long-term life outcomes such as criminal careers. Young offenders are likely to be from families that are assaultive across generations. Children of these families who are not helped by treatment or do not outgrow aggressive behavior tend to engage in adult activities such as drug use, sexual promiscuity, marital violence, reckless driving, and employment liability.
Fraser (1996) studied social development in the family, school, peer group, and community. According to the ecological-developmental perspective, individuals who are unable to participate in positive social interactions with their parents fail to develop social skills and successful relationships with peers and others. They are unable to interact competently or responsibly and are overwhelmed with feelings of stress and helplessness. Aggression in families, inconsistent parental supervision, use of harsh punishment, failure to set limits, no reward for prosocial behavior, and coercive parent-child interactions are events that reinforce aggression. Children who lack problem-solving skills resort to aggression to reach goals. In cases where children are defiant and aggressive, parenting practices tend to be coercive. By the second and third grades more social competence is demanded of a child and those who lack social abilities are rejected and may resort to aggression. These children also escalate aggression in others when they are targeted for aggressive acts. Increased rejection by other children leads to isolation and decreased learning opportunities. Factors that affect parenting include poverty with decreased resources such as shelter, food, clothing, and health-care. Poor communities breed aggression and violence. Thus Graser concluded that family processes and peer relationships are instrumental in the development of social rejection at school and resulting use of aggressio...