Forty-Four States Have Enacted "Parental Responsibility Statutes," Which Make Parents

Essay

Forty-four states have enacted "parental responsibility statutes," which make parents accountable for the offenses of their children. Seventeen of these states hold parents criminally liable for their children's actions, punishing the parents with fines, community service, and even incarceration. As a veteran state senator of ten years, you have been elected by your peers tochair the state senate judicial committee that is considering creating one of these parental responsibility laws for all violent crimes ranging from simple assault to1^st degree murder. As a former magistrate whopracticed both criminal and family law, you have mixed feelings about these responsibility statutes. At your first committee meeting, you quickly become aware that the committee is equally split on this issue, five voting for and five voting against this new potential law. As chair of the committee, you may vote or may ask for additional information be gathered about the impact of such laws in surrounding states. As committee chair, what will you doand why? Please fully explain your course of action.