In virtually all societies, crime is an ever-present problem. Although families are often envisioned as a 'safe haven,' criminologists and family researchers have found the familial context to be at the core of many forms of crime and violence. Family members often find themselves as victims of crime and violence, often perpetrated by yet another family member. The unique nature of family relationships, such as those between children and parents, sometimes lead to intergenerational patterns of violence within families. Understandably, societies often struggle to address crime and violence within families; as such behaviors are often unreported and even concealed. Even beyond the family, crime and criminal behavior can often directly impact familial relationships, such as with the incarceration of a spouse or parent. This multidisciplinary volume of CPFR will address topics such as: child abuse and neglect, spousal violence, incarceration and parenting, community crime and family well-being, family life and delinquency, intrafamily violence, and policy-related issues pertaining to family violence.

Around the globe, millions of individuals are entangled in justice systems daily. For individual offenders, contact often begins with the police, frequently leading to court involvement, and for offenders found guilty, to correctional supervision or incarceration. But how do these encounters affect the family? How do police and justice entanglements result in tremendous strains upon families economically and socially? Do they endanger family relationships? To better comprehend how involvement at any level of the justice system affects families, this multidisciplinary edited collection focuses on the justice system and the family. Chapters include topics such as how court processes impact family members and their support networks; how prolonged incarceration impacts children and parenting processes and family coping; how intimate relationships are impacted during and after incarceration including marriage, divorce and partner violence; and, whether system involvement leads to unintended consequences among family members such as heightened fear of crime and victimizations and fears of the police. An enlightening insight into the family dynamics surrounding contact with the justice system, Police, Courts, and Incarceration is interesting reading for researchers and students of family, sociology and criminology.

In the context of dramatically changing contemporary patterns of mate selection in China, Mate Selection in China focuses upon both the causes and consequences the societal changes which have resulted in a considerable shift in the ways in which young adults go about finding a spouse. Tracking a period of change, from a long history of patriarchal families and arranged marriages, into an environment wherein individuals are relatively free to choose their intimate partners, Blair, Madison and Fang demonstrate and analyse how recent shifts in divorce, cohabitation, and pre-marital sex have altered young adults' perceptions of marriage. Delving into demographic factors, such as the skewed sex ratio among young adults which have resulted in an overabundance of young males, cultural factors, such as increasingly individualistic forms of dating, and social and economic change which has resulted an increasingly materialistic middle-class, this book highlights that while traditional influence of parents in the selection of partners for their children has been overtaken, mate selection choices are not entirely made by the individuals themselves. Providing a comprehensive examination of mate selection within an ever-changing context, this book is a fascinating read for scholars interested in the impact of culture of family and marriage.

With the largest population in Africa, Nigeria truly embodies the concept of diversity. Home to hundreds of different ethnic groups, speaking an equal number of languages, and each bearing their own specific norms and values, Nigerian families exist across virtually the entire spectrum of size and structure and maintain unique family ties which have endured the nation's long and complicated history. This collection focuses upon the diversity, adaptability, and strengths of Nigerian families. Examining intimate relationships, both preceding and within the context of marriage, as well as the particular dynamics among family members, this volume investigates how Nigerian families have responded to societal factors, modernization, and change. Societal factors, such as increasing conservatism, poverty, unemployment, and the like have created considerable strains, yet Nigerian families have shown a particular ability to adapt to and overcome many of these problems, thus revealing their substantial strengths.

Over the past half of a century, Chinese societies have undergone a tremendous amount of social, political, and economic change, which have also been a catalyst for substantial shifts in fundamental structures and processes within Chinese families. This edited collection focuses on the continuities and changes in gender and intergenerational relations of Chinese families in Greater China. Paying close attention to families in Greater China, including the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the authors address a wide array of topics, including marriage patterns, cohabitation, rural-urban variations in family structures, fertility aspirations, spousal relationships and marital quality, and more. Collectively, the chapters point to the dynamic, diverse, and evolving nature of Chinese families, and also provide considerable insight into their future trajectories.

Around the globe, the very conceptualization of family is associated with the relationship between a parent and a child. The birth of a child represents both the end of one experience, and the beginning of another. Entry into parenthood represents a fundamental shift in family structure and family dynamics, wherein the child brings new responsibilities within the family and upon the larger society, particularly in regards to population issues. In order to better understand the transitions into parenthood, this multidisciplinary volume of CPFR will address such topics as: employment and fertility, childbearing desires versus childbearing outcomes, the social media construction of parenthood, gender differences in childrearing, parental discipline and child outcomes, among others. This volume will contain research on parenthood and parenting from around the world, and is intended to provide a more global perspective of these issues. Given that these topics range across various disciplines, a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches are utilized in the research herein.

Family researchers have long recognized the interconnected nature of work and family. Around the globe, there is a clear recognition that the paid labor experiences of individuals will affect their families and familial relationships, often in unanticipated ways. Likewise, family relationships and family structures can significantly influence the work experience of individuals. As experiences of both families and work vary considerably across cultures, and over time, the nature of the work-family interface continues to change. The work-family interface impacts not only adults within families, but also children, and the interwoven nature of work and family yields significant consequences for all family members and relationships. In order to better understand these issues, this multidisciplinary volume addresses such topics as: parental employment and parenting, paid labor and marital quality, the integration of work-family domains, childcare and child development, dating and mate selection at work, work stress and family violence, health consequences of work-family conflict, relationship roles among dual-earner couples, family determinants of job performance, gender differences in work-family demands and consequences, and work stressors and family functioning; among others. The chapters in this volume provide substantial insight into our understanding of the work-family interface, and provide meaningful directions for both future research and policy.

Researchers, practitioners, and parents have increasingly become concerned about issues related to sex, gender, and sexuality among children and adolescents. With access to the Internet, young people around the globe can readily obtain virtually any and all information they seek concerning sex and sexuality. In many cultures, the clothing and fashions of children, adolescents, and young adults are increasingly merging, leaving little clear distinction between them, and creating what some consider to be the 'sexualization' of children's and adolescents' clothing. Coinciding with such changes, young people are more openly expressing their own gender identity, often leading to considerable social debate about feminine and masculine identities, and also transgender identities. This collection provides unique insight into identity formation for contemporary youth and examines the evolving norms concerning sex, gender, and sexuality in the lives of children and adolescents addressing topics including the development of gender identity, sexual behavior among youth, LGBT youth, transgender youth, parental and peer influences upon the development of gender and gender identity and dating violence.

Over the past few decades, there has been a dynamic world-wide societal shift away from traditional routes for finding a partner and establishing intimate relationships. This multidisciplinary volume investigates the impact of online dating and the role of technology in relationship formation; the nature of cohabitation and its relative meaning with marriage; assortative mating patterns; the role of parents and siblings in the selection of a partner; gender and sexuality within dating and mating; evolving forms of non-traditional marriage; the interplay of personality and sociodemographic traits within partner selection; and the role of race, ethnicity, and religion in dating and mating. Together, this collection provides a unique and truly global collection of research on the nature of dating, mating, and coupling, as they occur across a variety of cultures.

This volume focuses on the theme of Technology and Youth; advancements in communication and leisure technologies over the past decade have radically transformed the role of technology in the lives of youth. Around the globe, children and adolescents are often seen as being the first to embrace new technologies, such as new forms of social media. Having a cell phone, once regarded as an adult technology, has become a necessity within youth culture in many societies. Even video games, once limited to stand-alone computers, have become a venue for social gatherings of youth. The rapid pace of technological advancement has brought about profound changes in the very nature of childhood and adolescence.This volume of examines the role of technology in the lives of children and adolescents. Topics addressed include: cyberbullying, video games and aggressive behavior, online gaming and the development of social skills, sexuality, child pornography, virtual communities for children, social networking and peer relations, and other related issues.

Around the globe, families are often faced with a variety of health issues, often as a result of social, political, religious, and economic forces. Health issues affect both individual family members and the family unit as a whole, as well as impacting family relationships and structures. Illnesses, injuries, and health problems can strike at any time, and can have long-lasting consequences for individuals and their families. This multidisciplinary volume addresses the impact health issues have on individual family members and how this affects their family relationships. The chapters cover a wide range of health related topics including illness in adults and children, long term illness, mental health, and international perspectives. Through the use of a wide variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives, the family scholars in this volume provide considerable insight into the ways in which families and their members are affected by health, as well as how they adapt to and cope with health-related dilemmas.

Around the globe, families are often faced with a variety of health issues, often as a result of social, political, religious, and economic forces. Health issues affect not only individual family members, but also impact family relationships and structures. Illnesses, injuries, and health problems can strike at any time, and can have long-lasting consequences for families. When a family member's health is in jeopardy, it can bring about a wide variety of dilemmas. This multidisciplinary volume addresses the impact these issues have on the family as a unit; how they impact family relationships as well as how the family as a whole responds. The chapters cover a wide range of health related topics including illness in adults and children, sexual relationships, mental health, and disability. Through the use of a wide variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives, the family scholars in this volume provide considerable insight into the ways in which families are affected by health, as well as how they adapt to and cope with health-related dilemmas.

One undeniable fact about families is that they keep changing, both in terms of structure and behavior. Many factors have served to bring about such changes, including social, cultural, political, and institutional change, resulting in family forms which perhaps may represent the new 'traditional' in the not-so-distant future. Through research studies from around the world, this volume examines these changing structures and behaviors, and attempts to better illustrate the ever-changing nature of families. Topics covered include: transracial adoption, lesbian parenting, intergenerational relationships, procreative identities, ex-spouse relationships, military couples, the meaning of remarriage, and gender roles within contemporary families, among other topics. This volume, along with future volumes of CPFR, utilizes a wide variety of methodological and theoretical approaches, and attempts to provide a comprehensive examination of change in family structures and behaviors.

In the fall of 2008, a global recession struck, leaving many families in dire financial situations. Families around the world found themselves experiencing forms of economic stress unlike any which had been seen in recent generations. This volume focuses on how families and family members have been affected by economic and financial stress. Using a variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives, the family scholars in this volume examine the various ways in which families have adapted in the face of financial stress. Through research studies from around the world, it provides a comprehensive examination of how economic stress and financial difficulties affect family structures, family behaviours, and family relationships. Topics covered include: the persistent economic consequences of single motherhood; financial stress and child care subsidies; the American family 2012; migration and family; parental discipline style and academic achievement; economic stress and marital quality; family financial stress and adolescent substance use; and poverty and family well-being.

As family structures continue to evolve, aging relatives have caused increasing concern for family members as they attempt to manage complex issues such as health, caregiving, emotional and instrumental support, and intergenerational relationships. This multidisciplinary volume focuses on how aging interacts with family structures and relationship dynamics. Including research from around the globe, the authors address a wide array of topics, including family support networks, elderly care, grandparenthood, marital dynamics and satisfaction, elderly divorce, cohabitation, gender, and intergenerational relationships, and more. Paying homage to the fact that the manners by which aging affects families can vary considerably from one culture to another, this collection makes a crucial contribution by collating research on aging and the family from an international perspective. Providing this wide scope of quality research, the volume equips readers to better assess how aging and its related issues are affecting families from multiple backgrounds.

While the family remains a core social institution in every society, it is, nonetheless, an institution which continues to evolve. In many societies, divorce, separation, and remarriage have become a normative part of marriage and family life. These changes have, understandably, led to a great diversification of the behaviors, attitudes, and norms concerning marriage and family. In order to better comprehend these issues, this multidisciplinary volume of CPFR addresses topics including: marital instability, cohabitation and remarriage, step-parenting, divorce in later life, impact of divorce and separation on children, employment and the risk of divorce, marital dissolution and health, the role of extended kin in the process of divorce, the quality of relationships with former spouses, race/ethnicity and remarriage, economic factors and divorce/remarriage, and extra-marital affairs, among others.

Around the globe, the very conceptualization of family is associated with the relationship between a parent and a child. The birth of a child represents both the end of one experience, and the beginning of another. Entry into parenthood represents a fundamental shift in family structure and family dynamics, wherein the child brings new responsibilities within the family and upon the larger society, particularly in regards to population issues. In order to better understand the transitions into parenthood, this multidisciplinary volume of CPFR will address such topics as: employment and fertility, childbearing desires versus childbearing outcomes, the social media construction of parenthood, gender differences in childrearing, parental discipline and child outcomes, among others. This volume will contain research on parenthood and parenting from around the world, and is intended to provide a more global perspective of these issues. Given that these topics range across various disciplines, a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches are utilized in the research herein.