1. 
How can this be instituted? Fine the parent? Sentence the parents to jail time? The policy 
needs to be a concrete solution to a problem. Many states use fines instead of jailing the parents. 
(Who’s to watch over the children if the parents are locked up?) Fines sound great. This will 
make sure parents take an active interest in their children because they do not want to have to 
pay money if their kid gets into trouble. 
2. 
Who needs to be involved in lobbying for this law? Legislators? Senators? Local police? 
Maybe even city officials, local school boards, and religious organizations. So it’s put on the 
agenda and gets moved onto a ballot for an official vote. The citizens who think their city needs 
to be tough on crime vote to approve this policy. 
3. 
Bam, it’s law. It is implemented and now parents of juveniles delinquents are charged 
fines. This actually is a law in nearly every state. In the 1990s, Silverton, Oregon, was a 
model for communities interested in imposing ordinances that hold parents accountable for 
their children’s behavior. In Silverton, parents can be fined up to $1,000 if their child is 
found carrying a gun, smoking cigarettes, or using illegal drugs. Parents who agree to attend 
parenting classes can avoid fines. Within the first two months after the law was passed in early 
1995, seven parents were fined and many others registered for parenting classes. 
Oregon has ORS 30.761 (2017), which states: 
(1)In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the parent or parents of an unemancipated minor 
child shall be liable for actual damages to person or property caused by any tort intentionally or recklessly 
committed by such child. However, a parent who is not entitled to legal custody of the minor child at the 
time of the intentional or reckless tort shall not be liable for such damages. 
(2) The legal obligation of the parent or parents of an unemancipated minor child to pay damages under 
this section shall be limited to not more than $7,500, payable to the same claimant, for one or more acts. 
4. It is law, but is it effective? The evaluation stage of policy is critical. The goal is to curb youth crime 
and we might expect to see a decrease in the juvenile crime rate. However, charging parents fines for the 
misdeeds of their children actually increases recidivism! It’s true! A study of 1,167 youth in Pennsylvania 
found that the total amount of fines, fees and/or restitution significantly increased the likelihood of 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
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