Gloucester Township is now holding parents accountable for their kids' unruly public behavior.
The Parents and Minor Responsibility Act says parents could face up to 90 days in prison and or a $2,000 fine if a child is repeatedly found guilty.
Some parents are not happy with the law. One of them told the New York Post that this is a very dangerous precedent. Another called it "extreme," especially for parents who may have other kids to look after.
"Now this person can't pay their bills and their mortgage or take care of their children? And they're going to go to jail because they have one child that's out of control?" asked Nicole Stouffer with New Jersey Project, a parents' rights group.
That sounds like a legitimate concern, but Mayor David R. Meyer (D-Gloucester) told Fox News the juveniles are a legitimate problem and that something must be done.
"Over 200 (minors) spontaneously showed up at our Gloucester Township Day Festivity," said the mayor. "It's like a carnival, and for 40 years we've had this with no problems at all, and all of a sudden we have over 200 unparented juveniles show up not to participate in the festivities but to cause disruption and violence."
The mayor said authorities knew the minors were unparented because they all used a ride share to get there and the city had to wait for them to get rides home.
"No parent was there," said the mayor. "It's time we hold parents responsible."
When his children were growing up, the mayor said that he did not have an app to tell him where they were, adding, "I knew where they were, I knew who they were with, and I knew what they were doing."
"There is no excuse today not to know where your child is," said the mayor. "Again, we're talking about juveniles; They carry their phones with them, they don't even let them down."
The mayor went on to stress that there is due process here. First, a warning is issued if a child is found to be loitering for example or "does some type of vandalism."
"The parent will get a warning and will have to sign that they are aware of the ordinance," said the mayor. "If there's a second occurrence, the judicial system steps in, and every situation is different, and so the judge will make a determination as to what that penalty is."
