LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Parents should be punished in lieu of under-age offenders

Dear Editor:

I read with interest the recent column by Marc Hyden recommending that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised to 18. I would agree with this, provided that the concept of criminal responsibility is expanded somewhat.

I believe that birth parents, unless relieved by a court order, should be held criminally responsible for felonies committed by their children under the age of 18. I would extend this to any adult male who has lived with the mother in her household (or vice versa) after the child has attained the age of 13 years.

Today, far too many children just “grow up.” They are not “raised.” They have little or no knowledge of the concepts of right and wrong. Whatever socialization they have learned, they received from their peers.

These are children who find no fault with the concept of shooting anyone with whom they disagree. Stealing, rape and assault are, for these children, only wrong if they get caught. Given the wide availability of firearms in this country, none of these “children” has any difficulty obtaining firearms, including firearms that are or can be easily converted to be automatic weapons.

Until the situation is remedied, society would benefit more from lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 than by raising it to 18.

Michael C. Hall

Albany