White, N.2010-08-112010-08-112010Psychiatry Psychology and Law, 2010; 17(1):139-1471321-87191934-1687http://hdl.handle.net/2440/59690This article presents the results of a study that investigated how the Australian media represents the issue of parental responsibility, specifically when a child is accused of breaking the law. A sample of 95 news articles from a total of 116 articles that appeared in the Australian newsprint media from January 2001 to December 2005 was qualitatively analysed. Using a content/thematic analytical approach, the findings indicated that a pervasive representation in the newspaper articles was the notion that parents are responsible for their children and consequently for their children's delinquent activities. There is a taken-for-granted notion throughout the articles that parents do influence their children's behaviour, and are therefore responsible for their children's delinquent actions. The ramifications of the findings for legal and psychological realms are discussed.enCopyright 2010 The Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Lawchildrendelinquentsjuvenile crimemediaparental influenceparental responsibilityparenting classesparentsqualitative analysisJournal article002010024110.1080/132187109030921170002739615000112-s2.0-7564915113233695