Another innocent child lies dead on the asphalt, a victim of a drive-by shooting, and we can only wring our hands and shake our heads at how brutal and mean our streets have become. But all drive-by shootings have one element in common: the use of an automobile. While this may seem self-evident, the corollaries are not. Who owns these cars? The young shootists? More likely, their parents, their uncles, their older siblings. And it is time for the owners of these automobiles to be held responsible for the mayhem that is produced in them.
Laws that punish parents or guardians for the crimes committed by minors have been proven constitutional. For example, in some states a parent may be compelled to pay a fine or serve jail time for a child’s truancy. In the case of a drive-by shooting, the decision to loan a car to a son or nephew may have fatal consequences. When I was younger I used to ask to borrow the car to go to a movie. Times have changed.
I urge Illinois lawmakers to enact legislation that would punish severely not only drive-by shooters but also the adults who carelessly, thoughtlessly toss these murderers the keys. We must act quickly: he blood is flowing, and hand wringing will not stanch it.
