John Leo

Many states have passed laws which hold parents legally responsible for crimes committed by their children. In the following viewpoint, syndicated columnist John Leo maintains that while parental responsibility laws may have uneven results, they are basically a good idea. Parental responsibility laws may be all that is needed to prod some parents into controlling their children, he contends. However, Leo maintains that because some parents may be unfairly punished for their children’s criminal behavior, the laws should be considered experimental and the penalties adjusted accordingly.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What are some of the penalties imposed on parents who are convicted of violating parental responsibility laws, as cited by Leo?
2. How are parental responsibility laws sometimes punitive, according to the author?
3. In Leo’s opinion...