punishments include community srvice and jail time?
and why?
2006-10-24 02:49:12 · 11 answers · asked by Jeanann Y 1 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
That is an excellent question, a real stumper. I would have to say that there isn't a black and white answer to that, each case would have to be individually judged. In the case of a small boy that got his parent's gun that wasn't locked up and shot and killed another child, I would have to say yes. The parents of the dead child deserve some form of justice and it certainly wouldn't be the child's fault. He doesn't understand what a gun does or even what death is. But in the case of like the Colombine kids, no. Those kids were of the age to know what they were doing, they planned it carefully and need to take full responsibility legally. I'm sure, as any parent would, that the parents of those kids probably felt responsibility for what happened, too.
2006-10-24 02:59:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. Some children are born with borderline personality disorders. If you, as a parent, raise your child with good values, balancing punishment with good judgement, and you child gets pissed off at a kid and kills accidentally (or even intentionally), then it is what it is. A child, no matter the age, is a person. Being a person, the child has there own thoughts, actions, and sense of what is right and wrong. The parents do have an influence on the depth of these values only. It is up to the child to act though, independently.
If the child is acting recklessly and criminally, the parents should only be punished by having the child taken away. To punish the parents legally is the same as attributing property values to a child. We do that with animals, not people. If my pit bull kills your cat, then I can be charged for destruction of property. If my child kills your child, the same is not true. I can only be charged with being a bad parent.
I love the ethics of situations. Fun stuff.
2006-10-24 10:40:26 · answer #2 · answered by Random 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on the circumstances. The childs behavior isnt always the parents fault. Some of these kids today are simply uncontrollable. They come from decent homes and have good parents but they want to do what they want to do and when they want to do it and to heck with everybody. Look at the Menendez brothers. They had good parents who gave them everything they wanted, but that wasnt enough. I've had friends who were very good parents. They were always there for their kids, didnt abuse them, were involved in their lives, but the child would just be rebellious.
If the parents arent involved in the kids life, they dont intervene, dont try to help and just flat act like they dont care, yes, they should be held partially responsible. I say partially because a five year old knows right from wrong. Everyone, regardless of age, should be held accountable for their own actions.
2006-10-24 10:02:15 · answer #3 · answered by tmills883 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends entirely on the circumstances. I know several parents who taught their children proper behaviors, and still at least one of their children erred in the wrong direction. I believe it takes society and comunities as a whole to ensure that our children are not going astray.
Back when our parents were youngsters 1930's-1950's neighborhoods looked out for the kids that lived there. A child may have been chastised by his neighbor while his parents were away.
Today if you attempt to chastise your neighbors child you might land yourself in the county jail.
America has lost it's values as a whole.
2006-10-24 10:00:58 · answer #4 · answered by Trixie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends...Some kids are just little devils and the parents try everything they know how to do. I think if the Parents did raise the child with some kind of boundaries, than NO the parents should not be held accountable for these little hellions actions..Now, if they just let these brats do whatever they want...thel hell yea, the parents so be held just as much as the little evils...!
2006-10-24 10:00:13 · answer #5 · answered by oppsupsideurhead 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe.
This is the kind of question that people without kids ask. I'm not defending bad parents, but raising children is hard. Most children who act up, do it because of a lack of parenting, but not all of them. There are some kids who are going to act up no matter how great the parents are/were.
I say don't judge parents unless you are one.
2006-10-24 09:58:43 · answer #6 · answered by Answer Schmancer 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely
2006-10-24 09:50:59 · answer #7 · answered by Buda B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah what a fantastic idea - and what happens to their kids while uve got all the parents locked up???
i believe that the very very large majority of parents love and want whats best for their kids. they just dont have the skills to provide it. so, instead of taking the cop-out - why not try to fix the problem by educating people. these kids will just grow up to imitate their parents - so we will just be locking parents up forever.
2006-10-24 10:02:04 · answer #8 · answered by bettie b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No they should punish themselves for failing to teach acceptable behaviour
2006-10-24 09:51:38 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is a package deal.
2006-10-24 09:56:30 · answer #10 · answered by Karrien Sim Peters 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋