Laws will be changed in neighboring Antigua and Barbuda to hold parents accountable for the criminal behavior of their children. These parents could also be charged for their children’s crimes.
The Gaston Browne-led administration made the announcement on Thursday, which represents a significant policy shift, less than a year after the government initially deemed such a move unfair.
The decision comes after a recent court ruling in the United States where Jennifer Crumbley was held accountable for her son Ethan Crumbley’s actions.
Ethan, who was 15 at the time, committed a mass shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan in 2021, resulting in the death of four students and injuries to seven others. He is now serving a life sentence.
James Crumbley, Ethan’s father, is currently on trial for allegedly purchasing the gun and ammunition used in the shooting.
Prosecutors argue that the parents were grossly negligent in preventing their son’s actions, including neglecting his mental health.
The Cabinet discussed this case during their weekly meeting on Wednesday, leading to the potential law change, as stated by Information Minister Melford Nicholas.
“We will be looking at our own law to [determine] if a parent or guardian operates in an environment where they are wilfully blind to the criminal operations of their minors and then it turns out that there is a victim of that crime … then, yes, we are looking at implementing similar measures in our legislative framework,” Nicholas said.
God is going to ask you for the flock He has given to you. In other words you’ll have to answer for the way your children turn out.
Will citizens including politicians face consequences here for the actions of their children?
In certain circumstances YES parents should pay for their childrens crime, as in the case when my car window was smashed with a stone sent by one boy (14years), after another. There are NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS, other circumstances when parents should pay for their childrens crime. In Dominica, it may soon be so, because myriad children just roam our streets after school, most just looking for trouble. Some enter their parents home at any hour of the night, or even early morning. Who cares! So those parents who accept that, should accept paying for the childs crime too. So while Gaston may not be seen as a good leader by many, i wont condemn him on that one.
soon….my Am will take that on board….birds of a feather…..but they can fly their moon over when if have a death.. so….