Aatia Wills-Lee

SOCY 100
January 24, 2023
Social Problem Assignment

There are many social problems we face as Americans. The most horrendous problem of

all would have to be Child Abuse and Neglect. This social problem is a broad topic that has been

a plague on society for many decades due to the lack of resources and counseling for families.

There is not enough media coverage and awareness as well as child/youth advocates, especially

in low-income communities. According to the Child Project, 3.6 million cases of child abuse are

reported every year in the U.S., and unfortunately for every incident of child abuse or neglect

that's reported, an estimated two incidents go unreported. Child abuse occurs across all

socioeconomic levels, ethnic and cultural lines, and religions and education levels. Neglect is the

most widespread form of child abuse and makes up more than 59% of abuse cases.

Logically, it may seem as if the duty solely falls on parents and caregivers to protect the

innocence of children and to ensure their well-being. But in reality, the social and justice system

also plays a huge role and partnering with families to keep children safe. There are many

services and resources created to do just that but the lack of community outreach and

advertisement for those services such as mental health support, family therapy, food benefits, and

affordable childcare makes it almost impossible to end this systematic issue. Analyzing this

issue through the sociological aspect of structural functionalism a.k.a.functionalist perspective,

child abuse can be broken up into two sections: the perspective of business and the economy, and

the perspective of families as a smaller unit in society. Although both are different subject areas,

the functionalist lens analyzes them in a similar way.

The functionalist perspective assumes that all members of society do their share to keep

balance within society. Families are smaller units of society but still have an important and
impactful role, businesses and corporations may play a higher role in some societies than small

groups like family units do. However, for functionalists, the family provides a number of

functions such as reproduction, protection, and support, but the family also creates and forms the

members of society. Society may not put as much effort into smaller units such as families

because they have larger parts to focus on and small obstacles like family matters may

negatively affect society which is the result of many abuse and neglect victims falling through

the cracks. With cases of child abuse or neglect, society failed the child by placing all of its trust

in the guardian of the child.

While the economic view of child abuse and neglect may cause frustration to some,

functionalists would agree that there is a give-and-take aspect of it as well; the more cases of

child abuse and neglect there are, the more job opportunities there will be in society. Similarly, if

there was no crime there would be no need for police enforcement. There are many organizations

and businesses built to help prevent child abuse, educate on the topic of child abuse, and help

victims of child abuse to cope and recover. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) is one of

the largest businesses in this field that help children and victims who may be at risk with their

given guardian or living circumstance. While these businesses push for child abuse to end, and

do not promote child abuse, unemployment rates would increase if these companies all shut

down and this would negatively affect the economy. In no way does a functionalist believe that

child abuse is a positive part of society, but the issue of child abuse, along with other issues with

the family, serves a function in creating society.

Although there is no end-all resolution to this issue, all parts of society work cohesively

so that children have a chance to become healthy adults with a healthy mentality, which could
result in a less damaging society. They are the future of this society, and they deserve to be led

by those who show care for them and do not misuse or abuse their innocence.