Parental responsibility legislation has been enacted in three Canadian provinces: Manitoba (1997), Ontario (2000), and British Columbia (2001).
[1] There is a political movement for greater parental accountability, following of a number of highly publicized violent crimes committed by children.
For example, a number of states have enacted or proposed laws that will: Such legislation is constitutionally problematic in that it is often both broad and vague, and may very well infringe upon the privacy of the family.
Opponents argue that the increased work hours and multiple jobs that a growing number of parents must take to provide for their families' basic needs decreases their ability to supervise their child(ren), thus creating an injustice with regard to the parents' culpability in the child's action.
In 1988, California enacted the Street Terrorism and Prevention Act, which provides for prison sentences of up to one year and fines up to $2,500 for parents who “grossly” or “culpably” deviate from the “normal” standards of supervision.