Parents Pay For Jailed Juveniles

(Hampton Roads, VA) The State of Virginia Child Support Enforcement Office requires parents to pay some of the cost of care for their incarcerated children. The monthly minimum is $65 which doesn't do much to defray the $57,599 a year it costs to house a child in a juvenile correctional center. But, with an average daily occupancy of over 1,100 children, the total amount in payments from parents represents a large sum.

If parents don�t pay, their wages can be garnished, their driver�s licenses can be suspended and their tax refunds can be intercepted. In rare cases, they are sent to jail.

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"You�re being asked to offset the cost that the state incurs for taking care of your child," said Stephen Pullen, a deputy director with the state Department of Juvenile Justice. "A parent has a responsibility for their child�s behavior."

I think this practice is generally a good idea. So many times, I've seen kids sent to jail because there was no adequate parenting provided so it's reasonable that they should pay. In fact, in some cases, I think the parents should be jailed instead of the kids. However, there are instances where the parents cannot be faulted and, when applicable, the parents should probably be given a pass.