The hosts of “The View” disagreed on whether or not parents have a responsibility to protect their kids from the criminal justice system.
Discussing a recent case in Indiana, where a mother caught her son shoplifting and turned him in to the police, the hosts on Friday split on what a parent’s responsibility is when their child commits a crime.
“Eventually, I think as a parent, you don’t know what to do. You kind of have to turn to law enforcement,” Michelle Collins said, pointing out that this case might not be the son’s first offense.
Guest host Sunny Hostin said she would protect her kids no matter what. As a former prosecutor with experience with the justice system, Hostin said she has seen “how the sausage is made,” and could never go back to metaphorically eating the sausage.
“I think I would be the parent that hides the body,” said Hostin. “The bottom line is, prison does not rehabilitate people. When you have a young person with a record, their life is effectively over.”
“My kid could be the Unabomber and I wouldn’t turn him in,” said Joy Behar. “I’d put him in a bunker and go to the movies with him … Because if you put him in jail, like she says, his life is over.”
Collins disagreed because there are often other factors at play, including mental illness, that parents aren’t always equipped to deal with on their own. “Sometimes, I hate to say it, but jail is the answer,” she said.
“Listen, if your kid murders someone somebody, you have lost that battle,” Behar conceded. “That kid needs a lot of help.”