<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Chip off the block</h2>

In the Book of EzekielOne of the major books in the Christian Bible, recording visions of the prophet Ezekiel. , it is written that "the son will not bear the punishment for the sin of the father, nor will the father bear the punishment for the sin of the son; the righteousness of the righteousBeing morally correct. shall be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on himself".

But now, the law (at least in some places) says otherwise. For the first time in history, two parents have faced charges of homicideWhen one person kills another. for a school shooting committed by their child. Many think that they have set a precedent for future prosecution of juvenileA juvenile is a child or young person who is not yet old enough to be regarded as an adult. crime.

In two separate trials, jurors found each parent of MichiganA state in the northern USA. school shooter Ethan Crumbley guilty of involuntary manslaughter after the court heard that they had purchased a semi-automatic handgun for him despite clear signs that his mental health was getting worse.

It concerns one of the most pressing issues in US society. 2023 saw 82 school shootings, the highest number in recent history.¹

Should it be a crime to raise a criminal? A significant body of research links poor parenting to youth delinquencyWrongdoing and lawlessness., suggesting that it could be a key tool in America's long battle against school shootings, the majority of which are committed by teens and young adults.²

"Punish the parents" laws have been batted around for over a century, with many arguing that they would radically reduce juvenile crime, alongside encouraging parents to take more responsibility for their children's mental health.

Others are less convinced that this is a progressiveIn a political context, the belief that society can be transformed in the interests of ordinary people. It is normally associated with the politics of the left. solution. They say that when gun violence occurs, we crave a scapegoatA person who is made to take the blame for the wrongdoings of others. The term originates from a ceremony during the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, in which the sins of the people were symbolically placed upon a goat. The goat was then sent into the wilderness. for what is ultimately a systemicSomething that is deeply rooted in a system or society. problem. Instead of blaming the parents, people should campaign for safer gun control laws.

Some even argue that assuming parental responsibility for juvenile crime is classistThe belief that people from certain social or economic classes are superior to others.. Children can become inclined towards crime for many reasons, but there is a strong positive correlation between poverty and criminality: children of parents in the lowest income quintileOne of five equal measurements when a data set has been separated into five parts. are seven times as likely to be convicted of violent crime than their peers in the highest quintile.³

Parents of children growing up in poverty often grew up in poverty themselves. Many think it would be a gross injustice to hold them responsible for what is ultimately a social problem.

Should parents be guilty for their children's crimes?

Yes: We need to instil a greater sense of responsibility in parents towards their children. Too many people act like they have no ability to restrict the harmful content their children are consuming, or to take responsibility for their mental health.

No: It is at best nonsensical, and at worst discriminatory. Sometimes, society is at fault. The US needs stricter gun control measures, not punishment for parents.

Or... Each situation has its own complexities. Nowadays, parents cannot reasonably prevent children from coming across violent content online. And sometimes poor mental health or aggression are seemingly not linked to environment at all.

Book of Ezekiel - One of the major books in the Christian Bible, recording visions of the prophet Ezekiel.

Righteous - Being morally correct.

Homicide - When one person kills another.

Juvenile - A juvenile is a child or young person who is not yet old enough to be regarded as an adult.

Michigan - A state in the northern USA.

Delinquency - Wrongdoing and lawlessness.

Progressive - In a political context, the belief that society can be transformed in the interests of ordinary people. It is normally associated with the politics of the left.

Scapegoat - A person who is made to take the blame for the wrongdoings of others. The term originates from a ceremony during the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, in which the sins of the people were symbolically placed upon a goat. The goat was then sent into the wilderness.

Systemic - Something that is deeply rooted in a system or society.

Classist - The belief that people from certain social or economic classes are superior to others.

Quintile - One of five equal measurements when a data set has been separated into five parts.