Should parents be responsible for childrens actions (ages 1-16)?

Question

Should parents be held responsible for the lack of morals and value in children who commit crimes at a young age? (such as stealing, rape, murder, assault) Should lack of supervision be grounds for parents prosecution?:

While friends, grandparents, neighbors, and other people in the childs life may influence them is it not the parents responsiblity to "screen" and choose suitable role model. Should your child hang out with drug dealers, theives, or others like this? Isn't it the parents responsibility to find out what kind of people their children are around and restrict bad influences??

Answer 1

Well yes they should be held responsible, but it should be from the time that they are born until they turn to adult hood. Who else would be to blame? Sure in the hell not me, you or society, (Not even President Bush) could or should be blamed for any crimes that is committed. It is the lack of supervision and morals that cause these children to commit crimes. It is not television, music or video games, because these are what the parents should be supervising.
You can't be your child's best friend, you have to put the fear of God into kids. What is unfortunate you are not allowed to punish these kids anymore, and that is where most parents are losing there children. Now I don't believe in abusing the child, but if you step out of hand, you get punished with a spanking. My parents did it to me and guess what, I am just fine.

Answer 2

Good question.....

However looking at the schools and if a child skips school the parent is held responsible...is this right?
The parents take the child to school drop them off, go to work and the child MAKES THE CHOICE to skip a class....should the parent be held responsible....some states actually make a parent sign a contract that they are.
I believe that its our job to teach our children and as parents we try our hardest and in the end the child will make the choice....
I know there are days that I think what if....and I talk to our children about crimes and how wrong they are and then the punishments....and I hope they know and are learning.... however again.....its up to them in the end.



again...what about the parent that did their best and is there...and still the child makes the choice....
I know that if a child breaks something....ball through a window, wrecks the car....we are held responsible...$$$ this way...

No, for the items you listed....Lack of supervision....thinking about every time I wished I could have caught the little one from slipping or tumbling.....or when the house got really quiet and you knew they were up to something....:oO

Like I said....good question pros and cons...

best wishes

Answer 3

Both parent and child should be responsible. The child needs to learn there are consequences for their actions and the parents because they are raising the child.
Look at all the kids shooting other kids. Where are they getting the guns? Probably from their parents home where the guns arent locked up like a responsible parent would do.
I know that even with a great upbringing and parental supervision (cause we all know we cant be with our teenage kids 24/7) that kids will be lead astray but you cant pick and choose which parents to hold responsible. Make it simple: a parent is responsible for any crime their child under 16 commits.

Sassydontpm makes an excellant point. while I think there are alternatives to spanking I do agree that parents should get some rights back...

Answer 4

That is a tough one. It depends on who sits in the judges chair I suppose. I raised my kids alone with good morals, and values.. and they are doing ok.. but.. they do have bad moments.. is that my fault??? no.. sometimes it is who their friends are. You were a kid too. And those kids that talk good kids into doing things probably came from poor home environment, there are also a lot of good kids out there who get caught up into following. Fortunately, my kids are leaders not followers. Parents are limited now. Kids have free reign according to the law. You cannot punish them. It is society, not the parents. Our hands are tied to some degree. I have met some very disrespectful teenagers out there. I don't blame their parents. Keep in mind, I am not saying that is true for all parents. There are some parents who should be held responsible, but not a good idea to class all of them or even half with that.

Answer 5

Ages 1-12 absolutely. However, I do believe that at a certain point, the children should be responsible for actions such as stealing or assault. Of course, parents do contribute to the actions of their children as far as teaching/disciplining them at a young age. Yet I would also say, if you choose to hold parents responsible, you should also hold grandparents, friends, parents of friends, neighborhoods etc. responsible because they all contribute to the socialization of the young person.

Answer 6

If the parent does not teach the child morals or values, who will?
Yes, the parents should be prosecuted. If not wanting to be completely responsible for a child is a problem, dont get pregnant!

Answer 7

Yes, yes, yes, and Yes!!!!
I would certainly feel responsible if my 16 year old stole a car or murdered someone. 16 is so young, and teens still look to role models for a positive example. Even if it happened at 21, I would feel like I should be punished and re-educated as a mother. What would that say about the values I instilled in my child? ...I'll just leave that question open for another time.

Answer 8

I think as long as CPS has it in for every parent who might even possibly think about spanking their child then the parents should NOT be held responsible.
Most parents are too scared of what will happen if they attempt to dicipline their children in any way. Physical abuse, mental abuse.. etc.
Give the rights back to parents and the underage crime rate will drop.
My kids have never been in trouble with the law because even though they're bigger then I am, they're scared I'd knock them flat on their *** if they did something terrible. I've never done it but they know I most certainly can and will do it if they step too far out of line.

Answer 9

o.k. lets suppose they do find out, their child is not going to listen to them if there is one thing we teens have is stubbornness and when they tell us no to do something it is like reverse psychology for us. Now if we are told we were caught doing something like I don't know breaking the neighbors window, we lie to our parents and find a way out. No parents should not be held responsible for crimes, it is the kids fault if they think they are old enough to be having sex, smoking weed, ditching school, why are they not old enough to pay the consequences in jail?
it is not their parents fault it is their fault and no one Else's

Answer 10

you can't control what your kids do. you must teach them good values and hope that they abide by them. If you are good parents and teach them right from wrong, why should you be to blame for something they did? Can you really watch your kids 24/7? You just hope you raise them the best you can and hope they turn out to be good kids! It's ridiculous to think you can be there around every person they are around, or around them all the time.