Springfield, IL – State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) is filing legislation today aimed at addressing parental responsibility and accountability for minors who engage in criminal activity or reckless behavior.
The bill allows for misdemeanor charges to be brought forth to parents or guardians of children under 18 years of age who repeatedly violate the law or are a nuisance to the public. These misdemeanor charges could include fines up to $2,000 or 30 days in jail.
An example of where this legislation could be applied is the brutal attack a young mother and her 9-year-old son suffered on Chicago’s far south side earlier this week. A group of individuals under 18 years of age approached the mother and her son on a public sidewalk and struck them multiple times, according to police reports. Both victims were taken to the hospital and initially listed in serious condition.
“I’ve been working on this legislation for some time now, but it’s especially important to bring it forward now given the incident in Chicago earlier this week,” stated Rep. Ugaste. “Parents need to make sure they control their children’s behavior if the children do not act appropriately in public on their own. Serious incidents involving minors are happening far too often, sometimes resulting in innocent people being badly injured. I believe that if judges have the discretion to hold parents responsible and accountable, many of the children who are causing problems will behave more appropriately.”