As part of a CSA survey for CNEWS, Europe 1 and the JDD, the results of which were published this Saturday, November 30, 78% of French people believe that the parents of juvenile delinquents should be punished.
The desire for more severity for young delinquents and their families is growing among the French. According to a survey* by the CSA institute for CNEWS, Europe 1 and the Journal du Dimanche, published this Saturday, November 30, more than 7 out of 10 French people (78%) are in favor of sanctions for the parents of juvenile delinquents.
Conversely, 21% of those questioned are against this idea. In detail, the survey highlights a slight difference between men (79% “yes”) – the same figure as the general population within one point (78%) – and women (77% “yes”). Yes”).
The results are roughly the same depending on the age groups, only those aged 18 to 24 seem slightly less convinced with a “yes” vote winning 67%. This is 21 points less compared to respondents aged 50 to 64 (86% “yes”).
Another interesting element, according to socio-professional categories, unemployed people want the parents of juvenile delinquents to be sanctioned (78% “yes”), as well as those in CSP- (78% “yes” also). This is one point less than the CSP+ (79% “yes”).
France largely rebellious against
Finally, regarding those questioned according to their political preferences, the “yes” overwhelmingly wins for those surveyed feeling close to the right (88%), compared to only 23% for France Insoumise.
Among respondents close to Renaissance, 88% of respondents answered “yes” to the question. Finally, on the right side, the scores are higher among supporters of the National Rally (89%) and even higher for those of the Republicans (94%).
The Law Commission blocks
If the idea of “financially sanctioning” the families of delinquent children had been mentioned for the first time by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron after the riots of July 2023 following the death of young Nahel, it has since returned in the debates between the deputies of the Laws Committee, who largely cut down last Tuesday a text tabled by the leader of the Macronist deputies Gabriel Attal aimed at toughening the legislation.
The text was largely reworked by the deputies of the left and the Liot group, who notably rejected the article establishing the possibility of an immediate appearance procedure, offered to magistrates to judge minors aged 16 or over for serious facts. Another key article has been deleted. It aimed to no longer apply mitigation of sentences, except for a reasoned decision by the judge, for minors aged 16 and over, perpetrators of serious crimes, and repeat offenders (intentional attack on life, physical or psychological integrity, sexual assault, etc.).
A measure aimed at making parents “as of right jointly and severally liable for the damage caused by their minor children” was also rejected. “This is absolutely not the initial text that we wanted,” lamented rapporteur Jean Terlier (EPR, Macronist group chaired by Gabriel Attal). The text, in its amended version, must arrive in the hemicycle on December 2.
The start of the examination in committee, however, took place without difficulty for the supporters of the text. Two articles increasing sanctions against parents of juvenile delinquents were adopted, thanks to the votes of the government camp and the far right. But upon returning from the evening break, at 9:30 p.m., the committee had partly emptied, leaving the field free for left-wing deputies to rewrite the copy. “It’s a huge snub,” reacted after the vote the former Macronist MP Sacha Houlié, now among the non-registered.
“It was a very bad text which undermined all the principles on the specialization of juvenile justice”, pointed out the deputy, who had six additional articles voted for by amendments “which favor the preventive over the repressive”, by limiting by example the use of unique audiences. The environmentalist deputy Pouria Amirshahi was pleased that the left and the independents of Liot had succeeded in “failing” the text of a Macronist camp which he accuses of “reactionary headlong flight”.
*Survey carried out on November 28 and 29 by self-administered online questionnaire on a nationally representative sample of 1,010 people aged over 18, using the quota method.
