[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Mount
Holly 4-28-1986 by Ord. No. 1986-13. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following word meanings shall apply herein:
Any unemancipated person under the age of 18 years.
Includes either or both natural parents of a minor, the legal guardians
of the minor or any other adult persons who have voluntarily or otherwise
assumed the responsibilities of a natural parent with respect to custody,
care and control of the minor. For the purposes of the enforcement of this
chapter, the term "parent" shall not apply to natural parents, legal guardians
or other persons whose responsibility for the custody and control of the minor
has been transferred to another person or otherwise terminated by court order
or by the emancipation of the minor by marriage, military service or other
circumstances. Persons claiming the benefit of any such termination or transfer
of responsibilities shall bear the burden of establishing the same in any
proceedings hereunder.
Includes any of the following acts: defacing, damaging or destroying
public property or the private property of another within the Township or
committing an assault or assault and battery upon another in the Township;
robbery, stealing or larceny, including shoplifting; knowingly receiving stolen
property; violation of any existing littering, glass disposal or curfew ordinances
of the Township;[1] breaking and entering or entering without breaking into the property
of another with the intent to steal; threatening another with the intent of
extorting money or anything of value; possession or use of a controlled dangerous
substance, as the same shall be defined under N.J.S.A. 24:21-1 et seq; or
juvenile delinquency based upon any of the above offenses.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any parent to assist, aid, abet,
allow, permit, suffer or encourage a minor to commit a violation of the public
peace, as defined herein, either by overt act, by failure to act or by lack
of supervision and control over such minor. Whenever a minor shall be taken
into custody or detained for the commission of any such violation of the public
peace within the Township, the parents of such minor shall be immediately
notified by the police of such custody or detention and the reasons therefor
and of the responsibility of parents under this chapter.
B.
In addition to those procedures established as a deterrent
to juvenile acts of vandalism and to parental neglect of child supervision
pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:53A-14 and upon the conviction of any juvenile under
the age of 18 years for any high misdemeanor, misdemeanor or violation of
any statutes of the State of New Jersey or ordinances of the Township of Mount
Holly, which acts include vandalism, destruction or damage to realty, personalty,
pets, animals, livestock or other chattel or violation of the public peace
as herein defined, the parent of such juvenile shall be responsible for financial
reimbursement to the victim of such crime or offenses. A complaint shall issue
and upon determination by the court that there, in fact, have been financial
losses suffered by the victim, the court shall determine the amount of restitution
to be made within a prescribed time, as set by the court.
Any parent who shall violate the terms of this chapter shall, upon conviction
thereof, be subject to punishment by a fine not exceeding $500.
The remedy provisions of this chapter shall be cumulative, not exclusive,
and the state or any other persons shall have the right to proceed under any
legally available remedies.
