Dear Editor

THERE are huge hues and cries over the recent sexual abuse and murder of that lad, Leonard Archibald, and I do agree with the mammoth condemnation of that heinous crime.

Every time things like these happen, there are always immediate emotional outbursts, then society slips back into its usual mode of docile complacency. As the stories about young Leonard’s demise unfold, we are learning of all sorts of negligence, especially by public officials. We are also learning that the maniacs who committed that crime made open, voluntary confessions.
Why aren’t public officials being sanctioned and punished for these lapses? Why are we as an economically-challenged nation wasting taxpayers’ dollars to prolong a judicial process for self-confessing criminals? Why are we having so many debates over the institution of the death penalty against those who presumptuously take the lives of others? Do murderers have more human rights than useful, innocent, productive citizens? Why do we continue to tolerate nonsense and expect it will somehow dissipate?
I believe that the level of parenting and supervision of molested and abused children also needs to attract greater attention and investigation. My recent article, in which the importance of family stability and the roles of social service agencies and the state were mentioned, is a precursor to this note.
There are always a host of related vulnerabilities in single-parent situations. Reality varies broadly from theory and even some statistics. We know that the fathers of many children are either voluntarily or involuntarily absentees from the family, but there are also overwhelming stories of single mothers who leave children unattended and unsupervised. Some mothers understandably have to go to work, but there are countless others who leave children unattended to go partying, or to participate in other frolicking activities. The resulting sad stories, tears, denials and excuses somehow seem to overshadow parental neglect and irresponsibility when horrible things occur.
Child vulnerability and sexual abuse can be significantly reduced in this country if greater parental responsibility and supervision are demanded of child custodians, as is done in countries whose policies we conveniently mimic.

Regards
Orette Cutting