yes. I so agree with you. Jake's parents seemed like the type of people who were struggling with their own demons. They tried in their own way to take care of Jake (Gretta Shaw), but were too absorbed in their own shit to really be good parents. I think that if they sobered up and got their own shit together and divorced they may have been more aware of Jake and what was happening to him.
The thing is, it was the 70's. You gotta keep that in mind, too, imo.