Would you inform the police if your child committed a serious crime?

[partinor]

This is a hypothetical question. But just wondering what others would do if you knew or suspected your child had committed a serious crime such as rape or murder?
I would inform the police for rape or murder. Not so sure about theft though.

Yes, for rape, murder, child abuse, and torture.

If I didn't already have very little faith in humanity then I might be shocked by the people saying they wouldn't do the same. But I already believe people are inherently evil. 🤷🏻‍♀️

If im totally honest (bad idea on mumsnet i know) Id find it difficult to knowingly get my children in trouble with the police at all.
Im trying my best to bring my children up to be kind and conscientious and things like consent and ethical issues , we do talk about etc, so i am doing my best to make sure that they dont end up criminals, but ultimately, I suspect that if I had to, id cover for them in the majority of cases. Itd have to be something pretty awful for me to turn my own kids in.
That is completely different to saying I condone it. I personally think th criminal justice system is competely broken, and people come out of it worse than they went in. I certainly wouldnt put society, or government ahead of my own children, and if i was going to turn them in, it would be carefuly considered as to whether it was the right thing to do. Not to satisfy others.
Sometimes I read things here and its like who even needs the police, when you have friends and neighbours turning people in for farting wrong. Its all very big brother.

I would only report him if it were helpful to him, e.g. if he was addicted to drugs and there was no other way of improving his behaviour. If it was necessary because it would be discovered sometime (e.g. murder) then I'd get a top QC and try to get him to get his story in good order and then confess to the police for the lowest possible sentence.

Rape or murder and I'd take them to the police station in person! Anything else I'd probably help them hide the evidence!

Some of the comments on here are astounding (not reporting them doesn't mean you are condoning it? Em, yes it absolutely does give that impression, to your child, the public and the judge!)

But this is beyond belief it makes no difference to the victim if I call the police or not, a dead body is still dead. It makes a massive difference to the family of the victim though.

What a truly despicable comment Rosemary.

I personally feel that some of the things that people would turn their kids in for according to this thread, shows that they care more about what society thinks of them than they do their own flesh and blood.

seems to me that either your child has committed a crime in the past for which you have covered for them

yes AndNoneForGretchenWieners you got me, I am from a crime family and I am covering up the murders committed by my children. You know, us being Italian and all that.

But be careful, now that I told you I will have to have you silenced. tss tss.

If someone else was hurt/harmed, absolutely. And it would be the toughest ask, but unquestionably I’d report it.

Theft? No. Theft with assault? Yes.

Wow. This thread is scary.

* I get what some of you are saying, but my child is MY child and my loyalty and instinct is to protect them.*

Absolutely. But at what cost?
What kind of bankrupt soul did the mother of 11 year old Rhys Jones' killer have watching his mother break her heart on television? How could she lie in those circumstances?

Far better to march them to the Police station to hand themselves in which would go in their favour when it came to sentencing.
I couldn't look at myself in the mirror.

And I'm talking about the specific things OP mentions in the thread - rape and murder. Not anything else.

Makes you think about the state of Society as a whole now. Everyone just looking after no 1 and not caring about anyone else. Sad.

Murder definitely. Victims and their family deserve justice. Don't know how someone could stand by hearing a family appeal for the killer to come forward and ignore it knowing you know who it was.

Rape.. Again. Victim. Plus done it once and got away with it what would be to stop them doing again.

Bulgary. Definitely. Have seen people been effected by it. Its not a victimless crime.

I raise you having to ring the police on your dc knowing you will never see them again as they abused their sibling.

Well, given that the OP posed the question as an intellectual exercise, it's interesting how absolutely nobody has considered 'serious crime' from the viewpoint of people who have, all their lives, been aware that the police and the authorities are there to control them rather than protect them. Nor has there been much discussion of the possibility that your kid might be involved in violence in the pursuit of what you/the DC see as a 'higher good'.

Err no because the vast majority of crime is your common or garden variety violence / sexual/ property crime we don’t live on the set of Les Miserables

Rape, pedophilia, serious animal abuse,...then yes
...
Murder - depend on the circumstances.

@MsTSwift you might not. But there have been political divides involving serious violence in the UK within living memory, which would have involved people taking sides according to something other than 'the law'.

Hardly recently come on. When I did criminal law admittedly years ago it was all rape, murder and theft not wide eyed youth fighting “the man”.

Depends on what the actual crime was. Murdering someone who raped me? My parents would help me bury the body.
Murdering someone completely innocent out of pure adrenaline in a street then yes they’d report me.

@MsTSwift: the miners' strike? The Troubles in Northern Ireland? The more hardcore type of animal rights activism? That's just three areas in which a parent might well help/support/cover up for a child accused of a 'crime' because the parent agreed with a child that while the violence/damage/harm was regrettable, it was justifiable.

(Again, before anyone starts ragepissing, I am not saying I have or would have covered for a family member who engaged in politically motivated violence, just throwing it into the discussion.)

I think that’s quite a different proposition though to what the op raised. She said “serious crime” to most people that’s murder rape burglary there hasnt been warranted direct action against the state for years and years.

No, but I wouldn’t cover it up either. If outright asked by the police under caution I wouldn’t lie.

@MsTSwift: OP proposed a hypothetical discussion. I thought it was worth adding in some additional variables.
BTW your suggestion that 'there hasnt been warranted direct action against the state for years and years' depends who you are and where you live.

Really?! I watch the news and keep up with current events I can only think of council tax riots and clause 28 both ages ago.

Yes, surely any decent parent wants their child to understand right from wrong and be punished when they do something wrong?!

@Thegreenhen again that depends on the parents' definition of right and wrong. There are going to be times when something is both 'illegal' and 'right'.

I can't even believe this isn't unanimous.

Of course I would! It makes me sick to even think about, but honestly I can't believe any decent person would behave otherwise.

You don't let evil deeds go unpunished and deny victims closure just because you love the person who committed the crime. That's despicable.

I'd support them, I'd love them, I'd visit them, I'd do my best to get them help etc etc but yes I would absolutely turn my child in.