Garry Cooper

In 1994, Michigan passed a parental liability act holding parents legally accountable if their children committed such crimes as truancy, destruction of property, theft, or drug trafficking. Some critics contend that such laws only strain family relations and misplace blame on overwhelmed, confused parents instead of the adolescents committing the crimes. In the following viewpoint, Garry Cooper makes this argument by describing the case of the Provenzinos, whose son was caught harboring stolen property, weapons, and drugs in his parents’ house. Cooper is a contributing editor for the Family Therapy Networker, a monthly mental health magazine.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why did the judge give the Provenzinos the maximum punishment allowed by the parental responsibility law in Michigan?
2. What does Tony Jurich allege is a viable...