Isnt it about time we made parents responsible??

[cazzz1975]

for their kids bad behaviour?, dont you wonder when you see a gang of thugs where are there moms and dads?, do they know what they are doing? why are parents no longer interested in teaching their children respect ??

Why dont we fine parents for damage caused by their children, even better why not have the kids clean up the damage at their parents expense??

[radiogaga]

i think part of the problem is the parents are as bad as the children. i'm not making excuses here for these people, but have seen first hand the way some speak / communicate with their offspring. its the socilisation process, the kids are acting the way their peers and parents / care givers are behaving towards them. then you've got the drug / drink culture interwined.
yes i believe holding the parents financially responsible is one way which could be implimented perhaps to make these young idiots think about the consiquences of their actions, financially and emotionally.

[China Doll]

It might depend a bit on the age of the kids surely?

Yeah, under teenagers you do look around and ask yourself where the parents are. But then you've got older teenagers who do know the difference between right and wrong and still choose to be little thugs.

What are you going to do about then? If the parents can't control them how can you? If they don't care about their parents shouldering the responsibility for their bad behaviour then are you not giving them a get out clause?

It's easy to say but I think in practice more difficult to do.

[radiogaga]

as i said these younger kids are being influenced by there peers. social work departments are supposed to take heed and intervene, under 16's are classed as children, and parents are responsable. if the kids over 16 they are classed as an adult and would be dealt with by the police accordingly,

[radiogaga]

as you will have noticed as its been in the press, jails are full and more need to be built to accomodate offenders.
courts are doing everything they can to avoid sending people to jail, by giving probation, community service, fines etc.

[chompu]

Yes, I think it would work but it would take quite a while to have an impact.
One problem is that the criminal justice system cannot take any positive action until the young offender is 10 years old. By then attitudes and personality are often firmly entrenched. It is in the formative years that these are established and maybe if parents knew that they would be held accountable for their childs' actions they would make more of an effort.
Public perception on smoking has changed through publicity and a similar level of propaganda would be needed to get through to that type of parent. That's why i think it would take some time.
The only comparable law we have in this country is that parents can be prosecuted for failing to send their child to school. Having worked in a secondary school for 10 years I have seen how this can motivate normally lax parents into getting off their backsides, switching off Jeremy Kyle and making an effort regarding their truanting teen.
I'm not absolutely certain but I believe the Irish Rebublic punishes the parent as well as the juvenile.