59. Juvenile delinquency is clearly a serious social problem. Whether businesses must
, [3 n3 c% @3 Hbecome more involved in helping to prevent the problem depends, however, on the - g E9 [0 T0 d% E8 [& w& o* _
specific business--whether it is culpable in creating the problem and whether its owners' 3 v6 G1 c1 B( m5 G
collective conscience calls for such involvement.
; E% ~% z: s0 i3 z) l5 I3 i Although parents and schools have the most direct influence on children,
g" Z) P K5 n- J- j8 X$ g8 |businesses nonetheless exert a strong, and often negative, influence on juveniles by way
6 S8 X2 [/ L, \1 {# e( m+ ~" mof their advertisements and of the goods they choose to produce. For example, cigarette
% C* h* P& t+ N3 }5 V7 madvertisements 'aimed at young people, music and clothing that legitimize "gang" sub-0 B6 Y8 q/ S3 k4 @! i( X/ M
culture, and toys depicting violence, all sanction juvenile delinquency. In such cases 1 z! V0 ^. v7 V7 l5 i L% A
perhaps the business should be obligated to mitigate its own harmful actions—for & ~9 a# u# B! ~1 F- H1 s5 g. F0 m/ X9 k
example, by sponsoring community youth organizations or by producing public-interest
- u, W$ G* s% ^" [* `, z. fads.& |: L1 I; X) \: T4 d% z
In other cases, however, imposing on a business a duty to help solve juvenile
3 G1 i4 q) B; B: g. S0 p- Ddelinquency or any other social problem seems impractical and unfair. Some would , Y' ?" `0 Y9 i$ t
argue that because business success depends on community support, businesses have an
0 J5 i% [0 a2 ?- S, K' aethical duty to give back to the community—by donating money, facilities, or services
$ y) V8 P8 b5 Y& }) p3 oto social programs. Many successful businesses—such as Mrs. Field's. Ben & Jerry's, & u5 a8 v0 i0 n
and Timberland—have embraced this philosophy. But how far should such a duty . z/ t% g3 r/ [' G" K- Y
extend, and is it fair to impose a special duty on businesses to help prevent one specific & Y& W5 b) y$ ?( S% v
problem, such as juvenile delinquency? Moreover, businesses already serve their
, W$ |+ Y$ _2 n/ \communities by enhancing the local tax base and by providing jobs, goods and services.4 l' |$ e0 J v+ J# ?) f
In the final analysis, while businesses are clearly in a position to influence young
8 ?, G) U0 E+ l. K9 w8 i6 c* gpeople, whether they should help solve juvenile delinquency is perhaps a decision best ( y L$ H+ b, W, T0 O0 g2 c; t
left to the collective conscience of each business. |