Dubai: Discord between parents and different forms of domestic violence have been the fundamental reason behind the breakdown and disintegration in families, warned a top prosecutor.

Domestic violence in its different forms — oral, moral and physical — and the lack of harmony and understanding between husbands and wives and fathers and mothers have been leading to the collapse of families, according to Prosecutor-General Mohammad Ali Rustom, Head of Family and Juveniles Prosecution [FJP] in Dubai.

“Domestic violence is a fundamental reason that breaks down families … continuous misunderstandings and disagreements between parents also lead to the collapse of families. Children become the first victims and are influenced negatively. When a parent loses grip over the household and fails to maintain its harmony and protect it against disintegration, that’s when trouble starts. Constant violence and nervousness start to surface under the same roof,” said Rustom.

His comments came in light of FJP’s marking International Family Day.

To avoid juvenile delinquency, he advised parents to raise their children properly and to constantly care for their upbringing. In terms of family and juvenile cases that were handled by FJP prosecutors, Rustom said: “In 2014, we handled a total of 825 criminal cases … 539 cases involving crime within the same family and 286 cases involving delinquent juveniles. Case studies observed and investigated by social workers and researchers at FJP reveal that the children are the first to be affected negatively whenever the parents fight or whenever a parent neglects the children. Parents should constantly care for their children and provide them with proper nurturing. Family disintegration, lack of proper fostering, parents’ negligence and bad friendships push juveniles to criminal behaviour and hence they become criminals.”

Parents should be vigilant, observant and God-fearing when they bring up their children, he cautioned. “Parents are eventually responsible for their children’s actions and that’s why they are required to be more attentive,” he said.

The FJP constantly communicates with parents, according to Rustom, of delinquent juveniles and urges them to closely observe their children and their behaviour to avoid crimes being committed.

“We continuously caution parents to be responsible and watch out [for] their kids to avoid any crimes being committed by children otherwise the consequences would bedrastic and disastrous. Among the trendiest crimes committed by juveniles [mainly aged between 14 and 17] are theft, drug consumption and assaults,” said Rustom.

FJP had launched a special educational programme named ‘Nibras’ aimed at hosting pupils in prosecution and courts and familiarising them with the processes of investigations and court proceedings, he mentioned.

“As part of Nibras, FJP prosecutors or our social counsellors deliver educational and informative lectures to caution students about the hazards of juvenile delinquency. As part of the programme, pupils are brought into courtrooms or allowed to attend the prosecution’s investigation sessions to watch closely and learn about the harmful and unacceptable outcome of delinquency. ‘Nibras’ is an unprecedented initiative that forewarns students on the dreadful effects resulting from delinquency, and the shame brought upon the suspects themselves or their families,” said Rustom.