What if? Would you turn your old child in?

[Jetfire]

What it comes down to is you as a parent have the duty to protect your child

You also have a duty to society at large, to help bring criminals to justice.

I do sympathize with parents...I don't know what it's like to even have a kid at all, never mind one who is a killer or something. But if you know your kid has committed a crime, and you hide them or don't report them, then you have also become a criminal. It's called harboring a fugitive.

Indeed, it can be argued that you have a duty *to your kid* to turn them in. How are you supposed to set an example if you don't? Teach them to own up to their crimes, to admit their mistakes - pay their debt to society.

And yet you left out "a parent has a duty to teach their child to protect them self" If they are committing crimes and coming to you...then you have pretty much failed as a parent and if you turn them in then so be it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

And yet you left out "a parent has a duty to teach their child to protect them self"

Depends on what you mean by that. If you mean, defend themselves against attack, then yes, a parent does have a duty to teach that. If, OTOH, you mean avoiding the law when they've committed a crime, then absolutely not.

And if a kid is a criminal, it doesn't mean the parents have failed. Children grow up and are responsible for their own choices.

 

[AstroSmurf]

Oh my. This is a loaded question with lots of grey areas. But if I knew, for 100% sure, that my child had done something like that, I would turn them in. I believe as a parent I have an obligation to protect society from my offspring if that offspring had become a threat.

But I can only pray that I never raise a child that would do something like that. I shudder at the thought of every being put in that position. I couldn't imagine anything more difficult or devastating for a parent than to realize they raised a monster.

 

[Jetfire]

And yet you left out "a parent has a duty to teach their child to protect them self"

Depends on what you mean by that. If you mean, defend themselves against attack, then yes, a parent does have a duty to teach that. If, OTOH, you mean avoiding the law when they've committed a crime, then absolutely not.

And if a kid is a criminal, it doesn't mean the parents have failed. Children grow up and are responsible for their own choices.

Obviously if they are committing crimes they have not learned to protect themselves...if a child grows up to become a criminal...someone has surely failed them...if an adult doesn't know right from wrong...there is a serious problem there.

 

[StarryEyed]

Absolutely.

The comment about Aruba's legal system is baseless though. They could not tie him to the murder. What would you have them do, prosecute someone who they could not prove committed a crime?

They botched the investigation, and severely--they contaminated the evidence and then wondered why the tie couldn't be made.

I'm not aware of that. If true, that falls on their investigators, not on their law.

 

[Miss Chicken]

And yet you left out "a parent has a duty to teach their child to protect them self" If they are committing crimes and coming to you...then you have pretty much failed as a parent and if you turn them in then so be it.

Some kids would commit crime no matter what sort of parenting occurs. I have three sons and only the eldest has been in any real trouble. No matter how I tried to teach him that stealing or other things were wrong he just never heeded it. I took him to psychiatrists and psychologists to see if any reason could be found for his antisocial behaviour but nothing seemed to work. He isn't lacking in intelligence, he just thinks everything should be handed to him on a silver platter. He says it was alright for him to steal because we were poor. He told one policeman that he stole because I didn't give him enough allowance and yet he got as much allowance as that policeman's daughter. The police even offered to let him wash their cars and pay him $5 a car but he didn't want do this.

 

[sidious618]

I don't know. I guess it depends on what exactly occurred and why it happened.

 

[RegFan]

I don't have kids and I don't intend to have any, but I would first encourage them to turn themselves in. It would depend on the exact situation whether I'd do it myself or not. If they actually murdered someone? Definitely. In other relatively serious situations? I'm not sure.

 

[Mary Ann]

And yet you left out "a parent has a duty to teach their child to protect them self" If they are committing crimes and coming to you...then you have pretty much failed as a parent and if you turn them in then so be it.

Some kids would commit crime no matter what sort of parenting occurs.

Exactly. Core personality, including resilience, is genetic, and while external events and influences certainly have an impact on children they cannot fully change the core personality traits. I work with very young children and every once in a while we come across a child whom we know will have a juvenile record within 10 years. I'm not talking about kids who suffer an awful homelife (and there are far too many of those), as they can be helped through intervention; I'm talking about kids from decent homes with parents who try their best. My young teens have yet to mug a little old lady, but I put that down more to their being naturally decent kids than to my parenting, though I do try my darndest.

 

[trampledamage]

My young teens have yet to mug a little old lady, but I put that down more to their being naturally decent kids than to my parenting, though I do try my darndest.

Mine are only 3 and 5, but I think about them the same way - they're good kids, I do my best but it's who they are that makes them inclined to behave rather than cause trouble (even young master trampledamage who's never met a wall he won't climb or a box he won't open)

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

But if you know your kid has committed a crime, and you hide them or don't report them, then you have also become a criminal. It's called harboring a fugitive.

They aren't a fugitive if they haven't been charged with anything yet. Shit, assumably, they aren't even a suspect yet.

If you get away with it, are you really a criminal?

 

[Jetfire]

Criminal behavior has always been a focus for psychologists due to the age old debate between nature and nurture. Is it the responsibility of an individual's genetic makeup that makes them a criminal or is it the environment in which they are raised that determines their outcome? Research has been conducted regarding this debate which has resulted in a conclusion that both genes and environment do play a role in the criminality of an individual. This evidence has been generated from a number of twin, family, and adoption studies as well as laboratory experiments. Furthermore, the research has stated that it is more often an interaction between genes and the environment that predicts criminal behavior. Having a genetic predisposition for criminal behavior does not determine the actions of an individual, but if they are exposed to the right environment, then their chances are greater for engaging in criminal or anti-social behavior. Therefore, this paper will examine the different functions that genetics and the environment play in the criminal behavior of individuals.

http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/jones.html

I find this an interesting read.

and this counters it.

Accountability and responsibility are attached in definite ways, so the perceived loss will exceed the gain. Since the punishment must be one that can be calculated, it must be the same for all individuals. No one is excused regardless of age, mentality, social or economic status, political influence or other self-indulgent conditions. People are held in absolute accountability to the actions they choose. Deterrence and moral retribution replace rehabilitation. Preventing criminal behavior before it happens is part of the overall strategy of crime control objectives. This perspective presupposes that people will take advantage of opportunities. Since people freely decide their course of conduct, rapid societal interdiction is necessary. A concept of "free-will" criminology is necessary to ensure society does not disintegrate due to an obsession with behavioral excuses. Behavior is influenced by a decision-making process that relies on consequences. As such, so is criminal behavior.

https://ezinearticles.com/?A-Classical-View---Why-Do-People-Commit-Crimes?&id=782363

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ I have always been infuriated by how several of the "soft sciences" like to collectively make their own fields completely pointless. And you never know if they are full of crap or busy trying to look smarter than their constituents while they are doing it.