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Hi All,
I have heard many times that in US child under 12 years old can't stay home
alone.
What code regulates this? What penalties and exceptions?
Thanks,
Leo
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Hi All,
I have heard many times that in US child under 12 years old can't stay
home
alone.
What code regulates this? What penalties and exceptions?
Thanks,
Leo
That varies from state to state. 12 is generally accepted when a child can
handle certain duties that younger ones can not.
Also, a 12 year old is now allowed to do the babysitting.
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"Leonid" <le_le_to@hotmail.!!!NO-SPAM!!!.com> wrote in
news:x4idnQb6Maxk1CLcRVn-qQ@comcast.com:
Hi All,
I have heard many times that in US child under 12 years old can't stay
home alone.
What code regulates this? What penalties and exceptions?
Thanks,
Leo
This would be covered under each state's laws, so the exact codes,
specifics details regarding what's covered, and the penalties and
exceptions will vary from state to state.
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Well, since the Red Cross sponsors baby-sitting classes for 11 yo and up, I
would question your notion that a 12 yo cannot stay home alone.
Haven't you seen the movie "Home alone?"
Seriously, it depends on the maturity of the child, and his mental capacity.
There are some special needs children who might never be able to stay home
alone.
AFAIK, very few states would codify such an indivdualized situation. IOW, I am
guessing there are NO statutes on the books.
Now, CPS involvement is a different story. Often individual caseworkers, shall
we say, misrepresent laws.
See NG alt support child protective services.
Or write Leonard, Webmaster at:
http://www.familyrightsassociation.com
Leo asked:
Subject: Why under 12 years old can't be home alone?
From: "Leonid" le_le_to@hotmail.!!!NO-SPAM!!!.com
Date: 12/14/2004 3:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Message-id: <x4idnQb6Maxk1CLcRVn-qQ@comcast.com>
Hi All,
I have heard many times that in US child under 12 years old can't stay home
alone.
What code regulates this? What penalties and exceptions?
Thanks,
Leo
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Leonid wrote:
Hi All,
I have heard many times that in US child under 12 years old can't
stay home
alone.
What code regulates this? What penalties and exceptions?
Thanks,
Leo
It's a matter of state law, and even then it's not stated in so many
words.
Neglecting a child is an offense of some kind anywhere. Usually, if the
neglect puts the child in significant danger, it becomes a felony.
So the interesting question is whether leaving a child under 12 home
alone constitutes neglect. This will vary from jurisdiction to
jurisdiction and situation to situation.
There are responsible 11-year olds who may even safely be entrusted
with other people's children in safe situations where help is easily
summoned. There are irresponsible 17-year-olds who can't be trusted not
to burn down the house by accident. It's entirely possible to have both
in the same family.
Two situations in which a possibly unnecessary big deal may be made
over a child left at home are:
A divorce, with disputes over custody and child support. One parent may
see an advantage in portraying an innocent situation as neglect. As
with other divorce issues, this can get really vicious.
When abuse or neglect is reported to Child Protective Services (or
whatever the relevant agency is known as locally). When CPS gets
involved, it is obliged to investigate any report that can't clearly be
dismissed as unfounded. CPS investigators may be short on perspective
or compassion, and they are frequently obliged to avoid being
criticized for missing a case of serious neglect rather than to use
common sense.
--
Not a lawyer,
Chris Green
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Neglecting a child is an offense of some kind anywhere. Usually, if the
neglect puts the child in significant danger, it becomes a felony.
So the interesting question is whether leaving a child under 12 home
alone constitutes neglect. This will vary from jurisdiction to
jurisdiction and situation to situation.
There are responsible 11-year olds who may even safely be entrusted
with other people's children in safe situations where help is easily
summoned. There are irresponsible 17-year-olds who can't be trusted not
to burn down the house by accident.
The same applies to some 50-year-olds.
It's entirely possible to have both
in the same family.
Two situations in which a possibly unnecessary big deal may be made
over a child left at home are:
A divorce, with disputes over custody and child support. One parent may
see an advantage in portraying an innocent situation as neglect. As
with other divorce issues, this can get really vicious.
Isn't it generally considered malpractice by a divorce attorney to
NOT advise their client to accuse their soon to be ex-spouse of
abusing the children? (Even if the children are now in their 40's?)
A big deal, often justified, is likely to be made if the child was
left alone and is found in potential danger, such as crossing a
freeway in diapers, or found in a hot parked car in a Texas summer
with the windows shut (lots of dogs and a few children die each
year this way).
When abuse or neglect is reported to Child Protective Services (or
whatever the relevant agency is known as locally). When CPS gets
involved, it is obliged to investigate any report that can't clearly be
dismissed as unfounded.
Except a report that putting a child in CPS custody in and of itself
constitutes child abuse.
CPS investigators may be short on perspective
or compassion, and they are frequently obliged to avoid being
criticized for missing a case of serious neglect rather than to use
common sense.
Gordon L. Burditt
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Gordon Burditt wrote:
Neglecting a child is an offense of some kind anywhere. Usually, if
the
neglect puts the child in significant danger, it becomes a felony.
So the interesting question is whether leaving a child under 12 home
alone constitutes neglect. This will vary from jurisdiction to
jurisdiction and situation to situation.
There are responsible 11-year olds who may even safely be entrusted
with other people's children in safe situations where help is easily
summoned. There are irresponsible 17-year-olds who can't be trusted
not
to burn down the house by accident.
The same applies to some 50-year-olds.
Hey, I resemble that remark.
[snip]
A big deal, often justified, is likely to be made if the child was
left alone and is found in potential danger, such as crossing a
freeway in diapers, or found in a hot parked car in a Texas summer
with the windows shut (lots of dogs and a few children die each
year this way).
I was thinking about "almost 12", in sync with the OP's question, but
you're right.
Similarly, leaving a teen or near-teen home alone in a neighborhood or
apartment complex frequented by gangs and drug dealers could be
dangerous enough to amount to felony neglect.
--
Chris Green
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