EUCLID, Ohio — The City of Euclid is considering an ordinance that would charge parents with a misdemeanor for lacking "parental responsibility" if their child commits a crime within city limits.
Euclid Councilmember Kristian Jarosz proposed Ordinance No. 078-24 at this month’s City Council meeting. It highlights “parental responsibility.”
The measure states, “It shall be unlawful for a parent, legal custodian, legal guardian, or other person lawfully charged with the care of a child under eighteen years of age, to knowingly fail to supervise such child. It shall be no defense that aparent or person charged with parental control and authority over the child was completely indifferent to the activities or conduct or whereabouts of such child.”
Parental responsibility to supervise such child and exercise parental control with regard to such child includes, but is not limited to the following duties:
- To keep illegal drugs out of the home and out of the possession of such child, except those drugs duly prescribed by a licensed physician or other authorized medical professional;
- To keep firearms out of the possession of such child except those used for hunting or other legal activities in accordance with state law and with the knowledge and supervision of a parent or other individual charged with parental control and authority over the child;
- To exercise and have in place reasonable controls so as to prevent such child from maliciously or willfully damaging, defacing or destroying real or personal property belonging to others, including the City of Euclid;
- To exercise and have in place reasonable controls so as to prevent such child from engaging in theft of property or keeping in his or her possession property known to be stolen;
- To exercise and have in place reasonable controls so as to prevent such child from engaging in violent assaultive behavior directed at persons.
The proposed ordinance would not apply to a public children's services agency, foster parents, or teachers and other employees of any public or private school.
If a parent/legal guardian were to violate the parental responsibility ordinance:
- Upon first conviction, a violation is a minor misdemeanor.
- If the offender has been previously convicted of a violation of the parental responsibility ordinance, a violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
- Upon the third or subsequent violation of this chapter, a violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Whenever a child is arrested or detained for the commission of any delinquent act within the City, the parent or person charged with parental control and authority over the child shall be notified by the Euclid Police Department in writing for the first offense, advising the parent of such arrest or detention. A written record of such notifications would be maintained by the Police Department.
The proposal is in response to a growing juvenile crime rate in Euclid.
According to the measure, there were a total of 178 criminal cases involving Euclid minors in 2021. In 2022, the number of cases increased to 217 with a total of 570 charges.
“The goal of this legislation is to provide a modicum of deterrence by first formally notifying the parent/legal guardian of the juvenile's criminal activity in hopes that it will be addressed at home. It will also send a message that this community will no longer tolerate such behavior,” the proposal reads.
Rick Gzesh told News 5 that he supports the proposed ordinance.
“Parents have a responsibility to instill proper values in their children. Too many of the children today are running around without parental supervision and they haven't been taught the right from wrong. I do believe it is a parent's responsibility before public services or child services get involved,” said Gzesh.
Gzesh is hopeful the ordinance can slow down juvenile crime rates but said it needs to go further than this proposal.
“If they have an active parent, I think it would work for the first time. Maybe it'll wake them up, be more involved with the children's life,” said Gzesh. “I think additional intervention is going to be necessary to help save that child.”
An uncle in Euclid, Chris said he’s “50/50” on how he feels about the ordinance.
“You are in charge but you're not in charge because at the same time, your kids do have a mind of their own. They're going to make mistakes just like we did when we grew up. I do understand how they're trying to push it, but I think while you're trying to enforce it, that way is going to make that situation a little bit worse. It's going to make kids more rebellious because it's going to make parents harder on their kids.”
Chris believes there’s a solution to lowering juvenile crime rates, but the proposed Euclid ordinance charging parents for their children’s actions is not the way to go.
“We are the ones that had the kids. That's how they're doing it. Say we bought a dog. I walked my dog. He pooped. It's coming back on me because I have to pick the poop up. That's how they're looking at it and that's how I see it,” he said. “I feel like more parents coming together in the community and talking, having more meetings, outings with each other to talk about what's going on in the city, what's going on in all the cities. I feel like that would be more of a change.”
The proposed ordinance went through a “first reading” on July 15. The next City of Euclid City Council meeting will be on August 19 at 7 p.m.
Currently, Ohio law – Section 3109.09 and Section 3109.10 – hold parents liable for willful and malicious assaults as well as willful damage or theft by their children. Both sections lay out monetary consequences, though not potential charges to the parents.
News 5 reached out to Councilmember Jarosz several times on Monday but was unable to get ahold of him.
Over the weekend, a teen mob took over the streets and disrupted a business near an annual church festival in Euclid.
