Parents of Gang Members Sentenced to School
Moms and dads in California are being sent back to school for the crimes of their children
A new law in California gives judges the option of sending parents back to school for training when their kids are convicted of gang-related crimes for the first time.
However, a new report suggests the parents in question aren’t thrilled with the court ordered classes. Moms and dads in neighborhoods rife with gang activity often work more than one job and struggle to stay current with rent and bills, which can mean they spend less time with their kids, who can in turn become too easily tempted by the sense of family frequently provided by a gang.
Going back to school on a Saturday to hear about the perils of drug use and the other inherent dangers of life on the streets isn’t how many apathetic or just plain busy parents want to be spending their days off, particularly if they don’t have cars and are forced to travel long distances to get to the few schools that currently offer the mandatory classes.
The Parent Accountability Act went into effect last January, but due to budget cuts, only started rolling out into classrooms over the past month, and only in Los Angeles County, which has about 80,000 gang members. Eventually the classes will spread to the rest of the state.
In the classes, the discussions include classic signs that can indicate to parents their kid has joined a gang, such as changes in musical tastes, tattoos and secretive behavior. Parents are also given suggestions on how to help their kids overcome the temptation to get more involved in gang activity, most notably by actually spending more time with their kids.
Some experts are troubled that parents are being sentenced by juvenile judges, not by juries, for crimes committed by their children. Nevertheless, truants run the risk of being held in contempt of court.
Quite frankly, I think parents of convicted gang members should be sprinting to these classes, and anywhere else that will help them save the lives of their children. And why not take it one step further and send parents of bullies to required lessons about how to teach their kids to be nicer and more tolerant, because clearly they didn’t do it well enough the first time. How are you apathetic to being the parent of a gang member? And how do you allow yourself to miss the signs of your kid’s criminal activity?
I know from busy, but I’d give up everything and live without a roof over my head or go hungry before I’d turn a blind eye or knowingly allow my offspring to commit crimes, get involved in hard drugs or even just pick on another kid.
How would you feel about being sentenced to school if your kid was convicted of a crime? Do you think parents of bullies should also be required to take parenting classes?
Image: MorgueFile
how about increasing the hourly wage for cost of living so that parents don’t have to work 3 jobs and can spend more time with their children instead of the youth finding “families” in gangs….
I agree, Mulittaskmumma.
I am an ex-gang member that spent 10 years in prison and have since changed my life. Today, I’m getting my college degree, but having to deal with the pain of my past life. I totally agree that this may work. To quote a famous play “You must be taught” to hate, love, care, be responsible “from a young age” I take full responsibility for my action, but believe parents-as a whole need to do alot more. I am Hispanic and so deeply saddened by the lack of involvement in our communities. I go to bed everynight thinking about this-and sometimes cry.
Making them take a class AFTER their child is convicted makes no sense. Your kid is already in a gang and in jail. And if getting arrested and thrown in prison doesn’t fix him or her, then having your mommy home isn’t going to fix that either. And instead of spending money on this, its like what Multitaskmumma said, only instead of increasing the hourly wage(sense that will actually make things worse), we need to lower the cost of living in CA. As a life long resident of CA, who desperately wants out, I can say that it is physically IMPOSSIBLE to live off minimum wage. When I lived in San Francisco, the 1 bedroom apartment that I shared with 2 other people the total cost of rent for that place was $1,938/mo. Yeah this is a dumb idea, and we should have never spent money on this. Yet another prime example why CA is so completely broke. We need to stop spending money on stupid pointless things. FIX THIS STATE FIRST!
@ALittleShort, I would argue that it’s not too late to teach parents how to get their kids on the right track — ever. While I still agree that the minimum wage should be raised so multiple jobs aren’t necessary, I think parents still have an emotional responsibility to try and steer their kids in the right direction. It’s never too late. (And PS – it’s the parents who have to pay to attend the mandatory class, not the state).
Meredith, as much as I would like to agree with you I just can’t. A gang is for life. Many die when trying to get out, and if they don’t die they are very seriously injured. These classes needed to be implemented BEFORE this happens. Not after. And as much as a parent may want to have their child to no longer be in a gang, that child has to want to get out. BAD, and risk their life to leave that gang.
Or the parent can move to the midwest or further east and change their name. But these parents don’t have that kind of money, that is why they live where they live. They can’t afford to move even at the expense of their family. And now a lot of them are people who have grown up in that area and are now having children and don’t think to leave because as crappy as it is, its home and where their families are. And forcing them to pay for a class when money is already very tight at best isn’t fair to these parents either. Most were dealt a crappy hand in life, and most are doing the best they can, I truly believe that. Unless the parent is already a diehard gang member, I doubt they are pleased with their child’s choice in life to join into something like that.
I have driven through MLK blvd in LA and it is not pretty. I have walked through the tenderloin in SF again, very creepy. I was only in Oakland briefly, but while there, there is a sense of “things are not right here” feeling. And like I said, raising the minimum wage in CA will cause everything else to go up in price. EVERYTHING. We need to lower the cost of living big time before anything else. Already CA grown produce is more expensive in CA then in any other state. Can anyone tell me why that is??? And we need throw out our entire tax system since that is what has caused this huge deficit in the first place.
@ALittleShort, I hear what you’re saying. But I think if one parent can be helped in those classrooms and prevent their child from going back out on the streets and dealing (or taking) drugs, killing or stealing, the program will have been worth it. And besides, since this has already been implemented, at least someone is trying to do something to stop further violence/bloodshed/loss of life.
@Ozzy — Thanks for sharing your story. Hopefully you’ll inspire others to turn their lives around. Best of luck in school.