Parents Don't Turn Children Into Criminals.

Chapter Three of Stanton Samenow's book Inside the Criminal Mind is entitled Parents Don't Turn Children Into Criminals.

...At an early age, each begins making a series of choices to live a life that he considers exciting, a life in which he is determined to do whatever he wants, a life in which he ignores restraint and eventually turns against his family and scoffs at those who live responsible lives.

...The parents become the first in the criminal's string of victims. Only it is not a one-time victimization. The emotional turmoil of seeing their child injure others and jeopardize himself is like a searing pain. The parents' interminable struggle to cope with this wayward youngster saps their energy, drains their finances, weakens their marriage, and harms their other children. But the criminal child remains unmoved and unaffected.

...To the extent that it exists at all, dialogue between parent and criminal child is on the child's terms. Savvy enough to know that silence annoys others and makes them suspicious, the youngster may engage in polite conversation, tell his parents what is safe, and remain on neutral ground. When the parents of such a youngster speak to him, he hears but usually does not listen. He is highly practiced at screening out what is disagreeable. It is as though, with a flick of a button, he can control which parental messages reach his ear.

When there are other children in the family, they are victimized by the delinquent sibling. ...They are warned to keep their mouths shut about what they see and are told that if they squeal they will regret it.