Susan and Anthony Provenzino of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, knew their 16-year-old son, Alex, was troubled. His first arrest occurred in May 1995, and in the year that followed, he continued his delinquent behavior by committing burglary, drinking alcohol, and using and selling marijuana. Alex was difficult at home as well, verbally abusing his parents and once attacking his father with a golf club. Although the Provenzinos were disturbed by Alex’s behavior, they supported his release from juvenile custody during the fall of 1995, fearing he would be mistreated in the youth facility where he was detained—a facility where juveniles charged with more violent crimes were housed.

It is unlikely that the Provenzinos expected to be the fi rst parents tried and convicted of violating a two-year-old St. Clair Shores ordinance that places an affi rmative responsibility on parents to “. . . exercise reasonable control over their children.” On May 5, 1996, however, after a jury deliberated only 15 minutes, the Provenzinos were convicted of violating the parental accountability ordinance. They were each fined $100 and ordered to pay an additional $1,000 in court fees.

Instructions 

1. Go to the website www.cengage.com/criminaljustice/samaha. 

2. Read the selection from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s essay on “parental responsibility” for their children’s crimes. 

3. Compile a list of the various responses, criminal, civil, and private to parental responsibility for their children’s crimes. 

4. Write a one-page essay on which of the alternatives is the wisest ethical public policy.