It's an altogether common scenario tragically.  However, there are many tragic childhoods, where people chose not to use their situations as an excuse to get involved in criminal activity/drugs.  The cycle stops with the individual.  To say "this is why I did what I did"...just repeats the cycle. Our social services/justice system has failed children in this country for decades. I've worked as a teen mentor in teen drug/alcohol programs, also in other areas affecting children for many years.  I've traveled Europe extensively and talked to many homeless people, the stories all ranged around choices.  Drug use/addiction is a choice, any recovered addict/alcoholic will tell you so.  Mental health has been trained/educated to tell people that drug addiction/use is 'a disease,' which only enables more as it offers an excuse to continue their chosen course.  Accepting responsibility for choices and getting to the root of the cause can be painful, but no one can change your course, but you.