ON THE STREET

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "What do you think about the proposed bill in Illinois that would hold parents legally responsible for their children's criminal acts?"

Nadine Tillman, St. Louis

"I always felt responsible for my children until they reached legal age. I think it would be great because I think that if we are responsible for our children then that would help."

Christy LeGrand, Cape Girardeau

"I think that parents should be held responsible because they were the ones that raised them and if they can't control them then...if it's like a monetary punishment then that's the way it should be and if it's a criminal punishment then it should be that way too."

Brad Hobbs, Cape Girardeau

"There's no way that a parent should be held responsible for that...If the kid goes out and commits a crime it could cost his parents everything that they worked their whole entire life for and the kid's not suffering any consequences it's the parents suffering. True, the parents have a role to play in the part of raising the child but when it comes down to the law I think you should be judged by your own merits."

Donald Scott, Cape Girardeau

"I think parents are going to have to be more responsible to their children but I don't know that legislation will do it. If you have a juvenile that is a persistant offender then ether the court will have to take over that juvenile...or punishment will have to be meted out to the parent who permits it."

Shelby Pinkston, Cape Girardeau

"I don't think it's the parent's fault because they can't control what the kid does. The kid has a mind."