The nature of relationships among family members is consistently related to delinquency, regardless of how delinquency is measured. It is likely that single parents, particularly mothers, will have more difficulty providing economic resources and supervision for their children than two-parent families. However, how a parent handles divorce or the loss of another parent appears to be more influential in children's behavior patterns than the disappearance of one or both parents. Understanding between parents and children and general harmony within the family are more important in explaining delinquency than whether the home is intact or broken. However, if there is conflict, it can lead to negative social interactions within the family and ultimately lead to a future in