Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children
Responsible for the Crimes of their Children
How can someone who does not commit a crime get charged for the crime committed. This is starting to happen around the country with parents getting charged for the crimes of their children. Although parents are responsible for raising and teaching their children what is right or wrong, parents should not be held responsible for the crimes of their children because they did not commit the crime and if they are not present at the crime scene, how can they stop their child from committing such an act. It violates a parent’s constitutional rights to charge them with the crime, and doesn’t serve as a deterrent to juvenile crime. Children that come from great homes and have great parents still commit crimes which can’t be stopped by their parents. Unless the crime committed by the juvenile is because of abuse or neglect than the parent should be held responsible. Throughout all time there has been delinquency. It may not have had the delinquency label, but it still existed. In Old England around 1600’s children at the age of seven were tried, convicted, and punished as adults. They received no special treatment. Juvenile crime is mentioned as far back as ancient Samaria, where laws concerning juvenile offenders first appeared in written form. It wasn’t until the 1900’s when juvenile crime became a big problem. Then in 1994 in St. Clair, Michigan, came the first law called “Parental Responsibility Ordinance” which charged parents for the crimes of their children(The Harsh Beginnings). Juvenile crime has only been getting worse over the years. Law makers around the country are trying to seek a certain law that would stop or reduce the number of
Wessels 2
juvenile crime arrests. Most states and or cities have a law that holds parents responsible for their children’s crimes. The problem with that is many parents think these laws are going too far with parental responsibilities. Sometimes the
How can someone who does not commit a crime get charged for the crime committed. This is starting to happen around the country with parents getting charged for the crimes of their children. Although parents are responsible for raising and teaching their children what is right or wrong, parents should not be held responsible for the crimes of their children because they did not commit the crime and if they are not present at the crime scene, how can they stop their child from committing such an act. It violates a parent’s constitutional rights to charge them with the crime, and doesn’t serve as a deterrent to juvenile crime. Children that come from great homes and have great parents still commit crimes which can’t be stopped by their parents. Unless the crime committed by the juvenile is because of abuse or neglect than the parent should be held responsible. Throughout all time there has been delinquency. It may not have had the delinquency label, but it still existed. In Old England around 1600’s children at the age of seven were tried, convicted, and punished as adults. They received no special treatment. Juvenile crime is mentioned as far back as ancient Samaria, where laws concerning juvenile offenders first appeared in written form. It wasn’t until the 1900’s when juvenile crime became a big problem. Then in 1994 in St. Clair, Michigan, came the first law called “Parental Responsibility Ordinance” which charged parents for the crimes of their children(The Harsh Beginnings). Juvenile crime has only been getting worse over the years. Law makers around the country are trying to seek a certain law that would stop or reduce the number of
Wessels 2
juvenile crime arrests. Most states and or cities have a law that holds parents responsible for their children’s crimes. The problem with that is many parents think these laws are going too far with parental responsibilities. Sometimes the
Bibliography: Belluck, Pam. “Fighting Youth Crime, Some States Blend Adults and Juvenile Justice.” New York Times Feb. 11, 1998. P.1 col 5. ProQuest 1 Dec. 2007. Blackmun, Maya. “Parental Responsibility Laws.” Los Angeles Times. 16 Oct. 1995. SIRS. Portage District Library. 11 Nov. 2007. Dominguez, Alex. “Schools Make Parents Pay for Kids Truancy.” Kalamazoo Gazette 26 Jan. 1999, sec A:2. 2 Dec. 2007. - primary source. Robinson, Matthew. “Juvenile Crime in Fatherless Homes, Public Schools.” What Causes School Violence? Investors Business Daily. 12 Nov. 1997. AOL. 5 Dec. 2007. “Should Parents be Responsible for Crimes of their Children?” Jet. 27 May. 1996. General OneFile. Gale. Portage District Library. 11 Nov. 2007. “The Harsh Beginnings.” 13 November 1998. [online] AOL. 4 Dec. 2007. Williams, Gurney III. “Authoritative Parenting.” The American Legion Magazine. (Jan. 1997):32.Rpt. In Family. Vol.5. Ed. Eleanor Goldstein. Boca Raton, Fla. Social Issues Series Inc. 1990 Art.81. Portage District Library. 5 Dec. 2007. -primary source