What Stricter Divorce Laws Could Do For our Families

1838 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Increase in divorce rates

Fifty years ago the traditional family was defined as a father and a mother, committed in a marriage, and with this marriage there was the possibility of children. However, over the years, this definition of the “traditional family” has changed. Today, there are more households that are held together either by a single parent, stepparents, or blended families. This can be the result of many possibilities but one of the reasons as to why this change has occurred is the result of an increase in divorce in the United States. The divorce rate is on the rise and currently approximately half of all marriages are ending in divorce (Cui, Fincham, and Durtschi 411). Currently, there occurs a rate of two divorces a minute in the United States court system (Gentleman 8). Not only has the divorced rate increased in the past years, but also the divorce law has changed. In recent years, these laws have made acquiring a divorce easier and a less stringent process for those that pursue it. Not only have these lenient laws contributed to the divorce rate, but they also affect both the families involved, especially the children, and the cultural values that have been established in the United States. If the divorce laws are made stricter it will positively affect the current divorce rate, the family involved, and the culture values.
First, the current divorce rate is high, at about fifty percent, due to the change in past divorce laws. If the divorce laws are changed to being made stricter, the current divorce rate will decrease. In the past, the United States ruled divorce on a fault-based system. This fault-based system was on the terms that those could only consider divorce if they could assess blame against one of their spouses....

... middle of paper ...

...Marriage & Family 56.2 (1994): 249-63. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 April 2014.
Gentleman, Vivian F. “The Real Scandal of Divorce.” Saturday Evening Post 235.45 (1962): 8-10. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 April 2014.
Schovanec, Barb and Cameron Lee. “Culture and Divorce: The Relationship of Values and Attitudes in a Protestant Sample.” Journal of Divorce and Remarriage 36.1 (2001): 159. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 April 2014.
Steegh, Nancy Ver. “Family Court Reform and ADR: Shifting Values and Expectations Transform the Divorce Process.” Family Law Quarterly 42.3 (2008): 659-71. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 April 2014.
Vousoura, Eleni, et al. “Parental Divorce, Familial Risk for Depression, and Psychopathology in Offspring: A Three-Generation Study.” Journal of Child & Family Studies 21.5 (2012): 718-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 05 April 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Overview of Divorce in Canada

    1355 Words  | 3 Pages

    Introduction A century ago, divorce was nearly non-existent due to the cultural and religious pressures placed upon married couples. Though over time Canadians have generally become more tolerant of what was once considered ‘mortal sin’, marital separation and divorce still remain very taboo topics in society. Political leaders are frowned upon when their marriages’ crumble, religions isolate and shun those who break their martial vows, and people continue to look down on those who proceed to legally separate their households. With that being said, couples do not just decide to get a divorce for no particular reason. There must be something driving them towards marital dissatisfaction and further, driving them towards divorce.

    Read More

  • Divorce And Redefined Family Composition?

    645 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge are taken into consideration to determine how divorce redefines family composition.

    Read More

  • Sociological Imagination: The Issue Of Divorce In America

    840 Words  | 2 Pages

    Divorce is prevalent in many parts of the developed world, it has been estimated that roughly 50% of marriages in America up until the 1980’s ended in divorce (Rutter). Divorce is arguably a personal hardship for both partners and their children, in that the stress of the divorce places both men and women at varying risks of psychological and physical health problems (Hetherington, Stanley-Hagan and Anderson 1989). However, using C. Wright mills’ definition of the “Sociological Imagination” we begin to view divorce as not just a personal problem of a particular man or woman, but as a societal concern that affects a wider category of people at a personal level. Therefore this essay will examine the societal structures which contribute to divorce

    Read More

  • The High Divorce Rate in the United States

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    Divorce can be caused by problems such as drugs, adultery, abuse, and money. The United States is a fast-paced country with little to no time to spend on the basic family values it was founded upon. Jobs are more demanding, kids are spending most of their time with people other than their parents, and the economy drains marriages by causing worry and stress. The foundation upon which marriage was built has been shaken.

    Read More

  • American Society on the CHange during the Post- World War Years

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    First of all, America has the highest divorce rate among western nations. Divorce rate increased after every major war, and decreased during the Post-World War II economic boom. The divorce rate has more than doubled since 1940, when there were two divorces for every 1,000 persons. Now for the same number of people, there are over five divorces. Studies indicate that there is more divorce among persons with low incomes and limited education and those who marry at a very young age. Teenage marriages are much more likely to end in divorce than are all other marriages. And women who marry when they are over age 30 are the least likely to become divorced. There has been a decline in divorce in the number of couples who have children under 18. Almost 45 p...

    Read More

  • The Effects of Divorce on Children

    2257 Words  | 5 Pages

    Divorce is becoming a worldwide phenomenon, significantly affecting children’s well-being. It radically changes their future, causing detrimental effects. According to (Julio Cáceres-Delpiano and Eugenio Giolito, 2008) nearly 50% of marriages end with divorce. 90% of children who lived in the USA in the 1960s stayed with their own biological parents, whereas today it makes up only 40% (Hetherington, E. Mavis, and Margaret Stanley-Hagan, 1999). Such an unfavorable problem has been increasing, because in 1969, the California State Legislature changed the divorce laws, where spouses could leave without providing cause (Child Study Center, 2001).

    Read More

  • Divorce and Its Effect On Children

    1490 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first study to be considered is a qualitative study which spanned a 25 year period and looked at 131 children from divorced families of the 1970’s. It was specifically concerned with growth and development (psychologically and socially) of these children post divorce and had extensive follow-up interviews with both parents and children at 18 months, 5, 10 and 25 year marks. At the 25 year follow-up a comparison group of adult children from intact families who had otherwise similar backgrounds were also interviewed. Some of these “intact” families were ideal while others were filled with conflict, most were somewhere in the middle. This study found a casual relationship between divorce itself and the well-being of the children which was significant all the way into adulthood. The study found that parental conflicts from before the divorce were not dominant in the children’s memories but unhappiness was related mostly to the separation itself (most children in this study had no expectations of the breakup prior to it occurring). The exception to this is when violent events occurred as with 25% of c...

    Read More

  • Divorce Should Be Harder to Obtain

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marano, Hara Estroff. "Children of Divorce: 25 Years Later." USA Weekend. Sept. 15-17 2000: 16-17. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 04 May. 2014.

    Read More

  • Essay On What Happened To Ward And June Cleaver

    1649 Words  | 4 Pages

    Council on Families in America. "Divorce Harms Society." Marriage and Divorce. Eds. Tamara L. Roleff and Mary E. Williams. Current Controversies Series. Greenhaven Press, 1997. Excerpted from “Marriage in America: A Report to the Nation by the Council on Families in America,” March 1995. Rpt. by permission of the Institute for Family Values. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thompson Gale. 15 June 2005

    Read More

  • Sociological Analysis of Divorce

    1157 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sociological Analysis of Divorce as a Social Problem and Proposed Solutions Every year approximately 2.4 million marriages occur. Out of those,2.1 millionwill file for divorce in the United States. These marriage and divorce rates have significantly increased since the years past(Coltrane and Adams, 364).According to Schoen, in the 1950’s, 15 out of 1,000 marriages ended in divorce. In the 1970’s, the rates of divorcedoubled,increasing to 40 per 1,000 marriages. Currently, the rate of marriages resulting in divorce remains the same.

    Read More

  • Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour and Feminism in the 1800s

    1313 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many Americans, men and women, have become feminists to promote equal rights for women. Now when couples get divorced. the men don’t get everything; both the man and the woman have an equal chance to prove they are worthy enough to obtain assets and children. Usually, the female acquires the children and the male acquires the assets. “The Story of an Hour” might inspire some modern-day wives to oppose their husbands if their marriages are not going so well.

    Read More

  • Evolution of the Typical American Family

    1382 Words  | 3 Pages

    One tough thing about today's American family is divorce. In 1816, one marriage out of one hundred ended in divorce. Then between the years 1869-1888, divorce increased up to one hundred and fifty percent. And the worse, between the years 1960-1980, the divorce rate increased up to two hundred and fifty percent. Divorce rates peaked in 1981 and then started to decline a little during the mid 1980's. However, divorce rates now are as high as they have ever been. Now fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce. There are five reasons for the increase in divorce. The first reason is in modern societies; individual happiness is regarded to be important so when people are unhappy with their marriage, they break-up and split. The second reason is it is easier to get divorced financially. The third reason is that women's economic independence has contributed. The fourth reason is the stigma of divorce has lessened so people are not

    Read More

  • Does Divorce Affect Children Negatively?

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    Vousoura, EleniVerdeli, HelenWarner, VirginiaWickramaratne, PriyaBaily, Charles. “Parental Divorce, Familial Risk For Depression, And Psychopathology In Offspring: A Three-Generation Study.” Journal Of Child & Family Studies 21.5 (2012): 718.MasterFILE Premier.Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

    Read More

  • Example Of Structural Family Therapy

    1427 Words  | 3 Pages

    Divorce is and has become a major issue in our society, the reason for that has been attributed to the drastic increase in divorce rates over the years. The most commonly reported major contributors to divorce were lack of commitment, infidelity, and conflict/arguing. The most common “final straw” reasons were infidelity, domestic violence, and substance use (Scott, Rhoades, Stanley, Allen, & Markman, 2013). Divorce often disrupts the flow of the family structure, increases discord, and affects how family issues are handled. Families dealing with divorce are often times in a state of complete confusion and disorder, and filled with frustration, anger, and pain. Power struggles between spouses, which often times spread to the children if there

    Read More

  • Journal Critique: The Good Wife's Guide

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    Laquer Estin, Ann. "Golden Anniversary Reflections: Changes in Marriages After Fifty Years."Family Law Quarterly 42.3: 333-52. Family Studies Abstracts. Web. 02 Mar. 2011.

    Read More

More about What Stricter Divorce Laws Could Do For our Families

Open Document