Ethical question: should parents be legally responsible for the actions of their children?

[MidnightPatrol]

Following the most recent high school shooting in Georgia, USA, the father of the 14 year old suspect has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder (ie not pre-meditated), manslaughter and child cruelty.

These are the most severe charges yet brought against a parent over a US school shooting.

The father faces 180 years in prison (ie the rest of his life), if found guilty.

The father is accused of buying the boy the gun.

What are your thoughts on a parent being legally responsible for the actions of their child in this way?

He was spoken to last year because the boy was a known risk for being a school shooter dad said he had no access to weapons and then went out and BOUGHT HIM A GUN

He is dammed by his actions

@Theunamedcat oh absolutely, there is no question that the decision to buy a teenage boy (and particularly this teenage boy) an automatic weapon was a terrible, terrible decision.

I watched the trials of Jennifer and James Crumbly and I think that they were responsible for the acts that their son carried out. Not solely responsible of course.

They both neglected him and had so many chances to stop what happened, including on the day itself.

They illegally bought him the gun that he used to murder his peers despite knowing he was having hallucinations. They did not give a hoot about him.

We don't know enough about this current person.

It's crazy that it's legal (is it legal?) to buy a 14 year old a gun or let them have access to them at all.

Guns fine, but drinking, tattoos etc, not mature enough!

I agree with your implication that it's potentially a dangerous president but in this particular case I think it's right. Irresponsible parents are arrested over endangering their own children so this doesn't seem outlandish. If you got a 14year old drunk and then handed over your car keys (or not did so when they were sober even) and they killed someone on the road, it would be a similar issue.

If the 14 year old was documented as suicidal and talking about shooting himself and he used the (gifted) gun to end his own life, I would blame the parent too.

If you got a 14year old drunk and then handed over your car keys (or not did so when they were sober even) and they killed someone on the road, it would be a similar issue.

Yes and in some states if someone is killed in a car crash it's 'murder with a deadly weapon' just like if you had shot them.

I think the provision of a firearm to someone who is underage (legal age for ownership in Georgia is 21) and that person goes on to commit a crime using that firearm, then you are an accessory to that crime.

Including if you are the parent of that person.

And it is right that you face the appropriate charge for that act.

It's not his parenting generally that's going to be on trial, it's his action in providing a firearm.

He had apparently stated on numerous occasions he wanted to shoot up the school the appropriate response to that is lock up your firearms and get the kid therapy not buy the child a gun in this case the parent is responsible

However

If the parent had taken appropriate and extensive actions and the child had found a way to do this anyway I would say different