The family is the fundamental unit of structure and function in every society, as well as for each individual as a part of that society. As a primary social group, the family plays a key role in shaping an individual’s personality and in the adoption of socially acceptable behavioral norms, while deviations in an individual’s behavior toward criminal tendencies have always been a subject of interest to society as a whole. This paper analyzes the influence of the family environment on the development of a criminal personality, focusing on dysfunctional family relationships, neglect, domestic violence, lack of supervision, and negative behavioral patterns transmitted across generations. Drawing on theoretical foundations from contemporary criminology and developmental psychology, as well as analyzing numerous empirical studies conducted in various social and cultural contexts, this work aims to provide a comprehensive insight into how adverse family conditions - such as emotional neglect, violence, divorce, dysfunctional relationships, and lack of parental supervision - may contribute to the development of deviant behavior in children and adolescents, as well as the formation of antisocial personality traits. Although criminal behavior is a complex social phenomenon that cannot be attributed solely to family influence, the findings of this research confirm that the family environment plays a crucial role in the socialization process and in shaping an individual’s moral compass. In other words, the family is recognized as one of the most influential factors in the formation of personal and social values that can significantly impact the development of criminal tendencies. The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of prevention through the strengthening of family function and support for at-risk families as part of a strategy to combat criminal behavior.
Bjelajac et al. (2025) studied this question.