Parents in Gloucester Township could now face jail time and hefty fines if their children repeatedly cause public disturbances under a new ordinance called “Minors and Parent Responsibility.”
The measure allows authorities to hold parents accountable when juveniles under 18 commit certain offenses. Repeat violations could result in fines of up to $2,000 and jail terms of up to three months.
Mayor David Mayer said the ordinance aims to address what he called a broader “juvenile crisis.”
“This is not unique to Gloucester Township, but symptomatic of a larger societal juvenile crisis,” Mayer told NewsNation. “One possible answer is to hold parents accountable for their children.”
What the ordinance covers
The ordinance lists 28 offenses ranging from serious crimes to truancy. Some categories, such as “immorality” or “knowingly associating with immoral people,” have sparked debate for being vague.
Parents will first receive warnings. If their child reoffends, they must sign acknowledgment forms and could face charges.
The township council approved the law after a chaotic incident involving 500 teens last year at a local shopping center that ended with 11 arrests — nine of them juveniles — and left two police officers injured.
Community response
Supporters point to Gloucester Township’s success in cutting juvenile recidivism from 44% to under 5% through early intervention programs. Mayer also cited past incidents, such as parents failing to pick up their children after township events, leaving ride-share drivers to step in.
But critics argue the law shifts blame unfairly.
“Blaming parents for what a child does? They are their own person,” said Alexandra Bougher of Moms for Liberty. “If they choose to do something wrong, that child should be held accountable for it, not the parent.”
Others, including Nicole Stouffer of The New Jersey Project, questioned whether the ordinance will be effective given limits on police enforcement and changes to marijuana laws since 2021.
“There are so many laws that prevent the police from doing their jobs,” Stouffer said. “I’m not even sure this will work out in Gloucester Township.”
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