Parental Liability
Should our democracy hold parents responsible when their teenagers commit minor offenses?
Parents make many decisions about raising their children. In democracies, they expect to do so without interference from government. But democracies also have laws that allow governments to protect children from parents who fail to provide basic necessities and supervision. They also have laws to protect society from the people who commit crimes. Problems arise when these laws conflict—particularly when parents and the state must decide when teenagers are responsible for themselves.
Lessons
Resources
Articles and Papers
- “Country Profile: Education in FYR Macedonia” (Geneva: United Nations Children’s Fund CEE/CIS, n.d.)
- Danitz, Tiffany, and John Nagy, “States Reconsider Parental Responsibility in School Violence Cases,” Stateline.org (April 12, 2000)
- de Vise, Daniel, “School Attendance Laws Gone Awry: ‘No Child’ Rule Vexes Md. Special Ed Center That Raised Test Scores,” Washington Post (October 14, 2008)
- Eurydice Network, “Compulsory Education in Europe, 2009/10” (Brussels: The European Union, 2009)
- Garry, Eileen M., “Truancy: First Step to a Lifetime of Problems” (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 1996)
- Kera, Silvia. “Secondary Education in Estonia,” Guide to Secondary Education in Europe (Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe Press, Council for Cultural Co-operation, 1996), p. 43
- Lahe, Jenno, “Meaning of Fault with Regard to Liability for Damage Caused by the Unlawful Action of Another Person,” Jurdica International, XI (2006)
- Lewandowskia, J., A. Janiak, and H.M. Wickert, “Lithuania,” in Norbert Grewe, ed., Absenteeism in European Schools (Berlin: LIT Verlag. Transaction Publishers, 2005). p.196
- “Liability for non-performance of duties of parenting minors,” Article 5.35, Code of the Russian Federation on administrative infractions
- MacGillivary, Heather, and Gretchen Erickson. Truancy in Denver: Prevalence, Effects and Interventions (Denver, CO: National Center for School Engagement, August 2006)
- “Parental Civil Liability,” Findlaw.com
- “Parental Liability Basics,” Findlaw.com
- “Parents’ Rights and Duties,” Chapter 12, Articles 61-79, Family Code of the Russian Federation
- Pearlman, Ala, “Parental Liability for Acts of Minor Children,” Chicago Family Law Blog
- Phelps, Shirelle, and Gale Cengage, “Parental Liability Child’s Act,” Encyclopedia of Everyday Law, 2003 ed. eNotes.com
- Stenberg-Tendys, Wendy. “The Kids Do a Crime and the Parents Have to Pay,” Buzzle.com (May 27, 2009)
- Szymanski, L., “Criminal Responsibility of Parents for Child’s Delinquent Acts,” NCJJ Snapshot, 4:22 (Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, February 1999)
- “Truancy” (Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education, 2009)
- Walker, Blair S., “Littleton Massacre Spotlights Parental Liability Laws,” Stateline.org
- “Who Shall Exercise Control Over the Pastime of Minors After 23.00 p.m. – The Parents or the State?”, questionnaire of 1,500 respondents in 100 communities in 44 regions, areas and republics of Russia
