The Father Factor and The Barefoot Bandit

Research tells us that children without involved fathers are more likely to commit crimes and engage in risky behaviors. The recent apprehension of the "Barefoot Bandit" gives us a clear example of this statistic.

At the age of 19, Coulton Harris-Moore (known as the "Barefoot Bandit" for executing crimes sans footwear) is suspected of committing at least 100 burglaries. He was caught and brought into custody this weekend when he crash-landed a stolen plane in the Bahamas.

As news sources learn more and more about his troubled childhood, one thing becomes clear - this story definitely has a father factor. Gordon Moore, Harris-Moore's father, used drugs, was imprisoned, and even tried to choke his child before walking out on him at the age of two.

Clearly, there are other factors and variables at work here, but one thing is clear: even though he walked out when his son was only two years old, Gordon Moore had a profound effect on his child's life.

For more information about the father factor in crime, incarceration and risky behavior, check out www.fatherhood.org/fatherfactor