Parents of kids who commit crimes in Tennessee will face fines up to $1,000 for each offense after the first one, under a bill that’s headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s Bill Lee
After a juvenile’s first offense, juvenile court is required to fine their parents for each subsequent crime, according to the bill’s language. If parents can’t afford the fine, they will be able to work it off through community service.
But most agree that Memphis and Shelby County are feeling the effects of juvenile crime. In 2023, Memphis Police told the City Council that officers had arrested more than 4,000 juveniles, including more than 500 for motor vehicle theft.
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said Tuesday that the county’s juvenile facility is nearing capacity, with 118 juvenile offenders held there. The youngest was 13 years old.
That’s why the punishment is a fine.
And what happens when you can’t afford the fine? This bill hurts poor people while rich parents won’t be affected at all.
RTFA. The bill proposes that they will be required to perform community service in lieu of paying the fine.
I don’t approve of this bill, but I do wish community service were a more common form of “punishment”.
Yeah the parent who works 60 hours a week who clearly needs more time with their child as they are having problems now needs to somehow find more time away from their child to do community service.
Not sure why you seem to be blaming this bill on me. I don’t approve of it. I just explained it.
And why is that better? If my argument stands, that doesn’t change that it’s bad and that it might not be in conformity with existing law.
The person you’re replying to didn’t defend fining parents; they clarified what this bill proposes.
What happens when the parents cannot pay? Is it still a fine?
Read. They get community service if they can’t pay.
Understand. There are people that cannot take time off from work to do community service AND watch their shit head kid.
I’m not defending it, just clarifying.