N.J. parents can now face jail, fines for child’s role in large teen brawls

Senator Paul Moriarty, Assemblyman Dan Hutchison, Assemblyman Cody Miller, Gloucester Township Mayor Dave Mayer, Council, Former Police Chief David Harkins, and Former Monroe Township Police Chief Ryan Borkowski at a press conference to report on the June 2024 public brawl incident.

Eric Conklin, NJ.com

New Jersey will begin penalizing parents for their children’s disorderly behavior, particularly linked to large “pop-up parties.”

Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed two bills backed by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers to curtail unruly youth. The bills were part of a legislative package to address the trend of large-scale gatherings that, in some cases in past years, have turned violent and resulted in dozens of arrests.

Both bills cleared the statehouse in late December, making these among the final legislative acts as governor.

The move expands on efforts to curb massive public brawls that have erupted at the Jersey Shore, community events and shopping malls.

One of the bills signed by Murphy makes parents liable for their child inciting a public brawl that causes property damage.

Parents of children who commit the most serious offenses could face up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines, according to the bill. Jersey Shore towns that have seen an influx of large teen-based gatherings have applied similar penalties locally.

A second bill directs the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to form intervention training techniques for law enforcement tailored to crowds of disorderly juveniles.

The program would benefit law enforcement in towns that have held at least two large-scale events in the past year that drew violent crowds, according to past statements from lawmakers.

Lawmakers defined a pop-up party as a gathering of 50 or more people organized over social media with no advance notice to local officials.

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request by NJ Advance Media for comment on the newly signed laws.

In an interview with NJ Advance Media between legislative sessions on Monday, Democratic state Sen. Paul Moriarty, who was a sponsor the legislative package, lauded the final bills becoming law.

Moriarty’s legislative district includes Gloucester Township, which lobbied for the bills after a large crowd became violent at a local community event, leading to 11 arrests.

“We’re pleased that the governor has understood that this is an emerging issue that we need to take control of to help our municipalities deal with this emerging threat,” Moriarty said. “I think that it’s important that we are making a statement here, in New Jersey, that parents have a responsibility to oversee their children.”

As summer crowds returned to the Jersey Shore last year, Murphy empowered local authorities to curb unruly teen gatherings by making inciting a public brawl a fourth-degree crime. Proponents of all three bills have argued the legislation will help address the trend.

Murphy conditionally vetoed the bill once, asking lawmakers to shield protesters and peaceful demonstrators from facing charges under the bill. Similarly, he asked that those wearing face coverings for religious purposes be shielded from prosecution.

The package’s first bill became a law about a week after a chaotic Memorial Day weekend in Seaside Heights, where 73 people, 21 of whom were juveniles, were arrested. Three men, aged 18, 21 and 22, were stabbed in separate attacks.

A 21-year-old was also charged with weapons offenses after police broke up a fight.

A year prior, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed during a fight on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Another teenager was later charged with attempted murder in the stabbing.