Reference no: EM133269256

Assignment:

Parents may be liable for the negligent or criminal acts of their children, beginning when children are eight to ten and ending at the age of majority. This means parents can be subject to lawsuits or criminal sanctions if their children commit crimes or cause injuries or property damage to a third party. In all 50 states, parents are responsible for all malicious or willful property damage done by their children. This is called civil parental liability because it's non-criminal. The parent is obligated only to financially compensate the party harmed by his or her child's actions. Parental civil liability is intended to compensate victims of torts and to encourage parental control and supervision. Parental civil liability generally begins when the minor is between eight and ten years old and ends at the age of majority, which is between 18 and 21, depending on state law.

Laws making parents criminally responsible for the delinquent acts of their children followed the civil liability statutes. In 1903, Colorado was the first state to enact a law against "contributing to the delinquency of a minor." Most states and the District of Columbia now have laws against contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Although these laws vary from state to state, parents who are found grossly neglectful from the normal standards of parental supervision and control can generally be jailed, fined, and ordered by the court to pay restitution to the person the child victimized. Other examples of criminal liability include firearm access and Internet crime-related laws. A number of states and the District of Columbia also have child firearm access prevention laws that, usually, make it illegal for a parent to leave a firearm within reach of his or her child.

Questions for Discussion

1. Do you agree with the policy of making parents liable for their children's crime? Why or why not? Please support your answers.

2. What crime or crimes do you think parents should be criminally liable for? Are there any crimes for which you feel parents should not be held criminally liable? Explain you answers.