In Gloucester Township, New Jersey, a new ordinance holds parents legally accountable for their children’s actions.
Passed on July 28, 2025, police shared the news about the ordinance over social media on Thursday. The “Minors and Parent Responsibility” law stipulates that parents or guardians may face fines up to $2,000 or jail time up to 90 days if their child commits any of 28 specified offenses.
Newsweek has contacted the mayor of Gloucester Township for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Gloucester Township is among the first larger municipalities to implement such a measure. The ordinance encompasses a wide range of offenses, including felonies, disorderly conduct, loitering, curfew violations, chronic truancy, vandalism, drug-related activities, and associating with individuals involved in criminal behavior. If a minor is repeatedly found guilty in juvenile court, their parent or guardian may be held responsible.
What To Know
The law was enacted following a series of incidents involving juvenile disturbances. Notably, during the 2024 Gloucester Township Day and Drone Show, a large group of minors caused significant disruptions, leading to 11 arrests and injuries to three police officers. The ordinance aims to address such issues by promoting parental oversight and accountability.
The enforcement of the ordinance will be case-specific, with warnings typically issued before penalties are applied. The measure has garnered both support and criticism from the community. Some residents believe it will encourage better supervision of minors, while others express concerns about its fairness and potential overreach.
There are 28 offenses, covering everything from serious felonies to minor violations, that can hold parents, legal guardians, or other caregivers of children under 18 legally responsible if their child commits them.
Full list of offenses
- A felony, high misdemeanor, misdemeanor, or other offense.
- Violation of any penal law or municipal ordinance.
- Any act or offense for which he or she could be prosecuted in the method partaking of the nature of a criminal action or proceeding.
- Being a disorderly person.
- Habitual vagrancy.
- Incorrigibility.
- Immorality.
- Knowingly associating with thieves or vicious or immoral people.
- Growing up in idleness or delinquency.
- Knowingly visiting gambling places, or patronizing other places or establishments, his or her admission to which constitutes a violation of law.
- Idly roaming the streets at night.
- Habitual truancy from school.
- Deportment endangering the morals, health, or general welfare of said child.
- Including any and all state statutes under Title 39 of the Motor Vehicle Act as to violations in the operation and use of a motor vehicle but not including violations for parking.
- Sale and use of narcotics or other drugs.
- Defacing the property of another (graffiti).
- Destroying any property of another.
- Mugging.
- Assaults.
- Assaults and battery.
- Loitering in groups of three or more on any public streets, highways, or alleys.
- Loitering or destruction or defacing of public property owned by the governments of the township, county, or state.
- Destruction of playground equipment and public parks.
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages on a public street.
- Drunkenness.
- Begging.
- Lack of supervision by a parent, legal guardian or other person having the care or custody of a minor child under the age of eighteen. A “person” is defined to include parents, guardians, or persons having custody or control of minor children.
- Indecent exposure.
The post Parents Could Be Punished in New Jersey if Children Commit These 28 Crimes appeared first on Newsweek.
