OT-WWYD-Reporting Illegal Activity?

[Heidi]

So the welfare thread got me thinking. Would you....

Turn in someone you knew was bilking the system?

Turn in someone you knew was doing illegal daycare?

Call in a drunk driver?

Call in someone for driving without a license?

Turn in your neighbor when their child says Mommy is growing a "garden" in the basement?


Just wondering how far most of us would let things go before getting involved.

[Blackcat31]

I checked ALL of the above. I feel that all of the scenarios you stated were within my realm of mandated reporting.....kwim?

The drunk drivers/non-licensed driver thing irks me because I have children on the road. It is sad, that they can be the safest and most careful driver out there and it is other careless, drunk or non-compliant drivers they (and I ) fear.

[Happy Hearts]

I voted for all but 'bilking the system.' I just feel that you would need proof for that more than just your word. But, if I could I would.

I would definitely report an illegal daycare!!! I worked hard to get mine legal... so if the illegals want to do daycare they sure ought to go through the hard work just like I did.

I have called in drunk drivers and drug dealers.

[MyAngels]

I checked all but the last one - here's my reasoning:

Bilking the system: Those are my fricking tax dollars & I want them well spent, plus if there were more investigations of abuse, perhaps the abusers would think twice.

Illegal daycare: There are reasons all of those rules and regs are in place, and it's because of the myriad of people providing substandard care illegally.

Call in a drunk driver: One of my son's good friends was just recently killed in a hit and run accident by a drunk driver.

Call in an unlicensed driver: See above.

The basement "garden": I did not check this because every year I bring in my delicate pond plants and place them in a pool in the basement so they won't die. Therefore I'm growing a "garden" in my basement and I'd really hate to have the cops show up at my door based on the word of a preschooler ::.

[BumbleBee]

Interesting questions.

Yes I would turn in someone who I knew was bilking the system. I have done this on my own sister. Those are our tax dollars and while I have no problem with people who need it, I hate it when people 'hide' information just to get more from the system.

Yes I would turn in someone who I knew was doing illegal daycare. Legally unlicensed, certified, licensed are all legal in my book. If an illegal daycare is operating it hurts the people who are legally operating IMO.

Yes I would turn in a drunk driver and have done so on many occasions. If I see someone stumble out of the bar and get in their car, start it up and pull out...I'm on the phone to the police with a license plate number and description of the vehicle. If I suspect someone is drunk while driving (weaving, off and on the road, ignoring signs, etc.) I will call em in too.

Driving without a license is a little tricky for me. If I know someone has a suspended license and is driving yes I will call them in. If a person comes to my house and realizes that they don't have their license on them, I generally don't worry about it.

The garden in the basement is another tricky one. Here you can get a medical marijuana license and grow a certain number of plants for personal use. If a child told me this AND I saw massive amounts of 'marijuana plant upkeep' items or people coming and going at all hours of the night then I would report. If a child told me that mommy had a garden in her basement I probably wouldn't report it unless I saw something else.

[AnneCordelia]

So the welfare thread got me thinking. Would you....

Turn in someone you knew was bilking the system?

Turn in someone you knew was doing illegal daycare?

Call in a drunk driver?

Call in someone for driving without a license?

Turn in your neighbor when their child says Mommy is growing a "garden" in the basement?


Just wondering how far most of us would let things go before getting involved.

No, not for billing the system unless I had absolute proof.
I have a neighbours our doing illegal daycare and haven't called. She is over numbers but provides excellent care. All her parents know she is over numbers.
Yes I have called in for drunk drivers.
No not unless I had proof a person was driving without a valid license.
Garden in the basement? No. Its ridiculous that plants are illegal and I choose to mind my own business. Besides where I live there is only a warning and confiscation if you grow 5 or fewer illegal plants. God bless Canada for its liberty. I certainly don't partake myself but don't feel its my business to police the world. I would call for more serious drugs though...meth labs or a house I believed was a marijuana grow operation. But not just because someone is growing a few plants for personal use.

[jen]

The only thing I checked was the drunk driver...

A garden could be anything!

I've had neighbors do illegal daycare; the parents knew it was illegal and were fine with it. She was a stay at home mom who provided babysitting for two families.

I have known people who worked for cash while collecting unemployment...wrong, but I didn't turn them in either.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Do you have any idea how hard it is to report someone for milking the system here in the south? Close to impossible. I tried it multiple times with my son's biological family when he came to our home prior to us adopting him. It's extremely frustrating.

[e.j.]

I checked the drunk driver choice because it's the only one on the list that I can't say, "Depends on the cirucumstances." The others all are categories that, to me, depend on the circumstances. Out and out bilking the system -absolutely. A single mom, barely making it financially and trying to feed her kids, working under the table so she can maintain benefits, nope. A person providing excellent care to a few kids without a license, nope. A person neglecting and abusing kids or with too many kids to be safe in her care, absolutely. Driving without a license? Could be. Depending on skill level.
Garden in the basement? If it were for personal consumption, probably not. If there were signs they were selling it, probably. I generally "live and let live". Unless I see a danger or a need to call it in, I wouldn't.

[Countrygal]

No, not for billing the system unless I had absolute proof.
I have a neighbours our doing illegal daycare and haven't called. She is over numbers but provides excellent care. All her parents know she is over numbers.
Yes I have called in for drunk drivers.
No not unless I had proof a person was driving without a valid license.
Garden in the basement? No. Its ridiculous that plants are illegal and I choose to mind my own business. Besides where I live there is only a warning and confiscation if you grow 5 or fewer illegal plants. God bless Canada for its liberty. I certainly don't partake myself but don't feel its my business to police the world. I would call for more serious drugs though...meth labs or a house I believed was a marijuana grow operation. But not just because someone is growing a few plants for personal use.

Exactly the same here. I feel, personally, that this country has WAY too many rules, regulations and laws.

If someone was driving drunk and was endangering others, I would turn them in, same with no license. If someone just forgot to renew, that's a different story. As above, I would turn in substance abuse or especially selling/peddling drugs illegally. As to recreational use of marijuana,(I never have in my life), I do believe it should be an individual's choice, just like alcohol. Now, heavier stuff is usually involved in buying and selling or dangerous substitutions and that I would never tolerate. So the heavier stuff I would turn in. Period. Although, also knowing the system, I am the one who would get the bad name. Nothing much is done around here unless you are caught selling. I'd be considered the "bad guy" for turning them in.

[youretooloud]

I would WANT to call in for those bilking the system, but I don't know how.

Growing pot wouldn't bother me. (i'd probably start inviting her over more often... you can never have to many BFFs)

Drink driving, I think I would....but, how would the police spot them?

Illegal daycare? I doubt I would, unless I also felt like something was wrong. But, it also would depend on the rules in the state... I'd hate to be jumping through some crazy hoops only to have my neighbor charging the same, and doing less.

Driving without a license, or insurance REALLY bugs me. (we all have our pet peeves) I would not tolerate driving without insurance for sure. I'm tired of paying for those in my state who don't have insurance.

[DCBlessings27]

I didn't choose yes to the growing the garden bc I don't know what type of plants someone might have in his/her basement especially since a preschooler wouldn't/shouldn't know what the "garden" plant is. I guess if the child was older...who knows?

Drunk driver, of course I'd report. I don't want someone getting hurt/killed due to someone making a bad decision. I don't know anyone "bilking" the system. Like OriginalKat said in the welfare post, KS tends to be strict with their SRS benefits. (We have had people arrested before for selling their food stamps for cash.) I do know that my cousin's cousin has a husband who was excited about having a 3rd child bc it meant they'd get more benefits. He also tends not to work when he doesn't feel like it.

I sometimes forget my driver's license though I don't intend to (pregnancy brain lately). I haven't but should have reported someone for a different driving offense though. After a shopping trip, I saw a dad put three small kids in the back of the car and then the oldest held the baby instead of any of them being in a carseat. That was an awful thing to see.

I didn't report it though I would have, but we had a local woman providing daycare. She had a FB page for her daycare that showed pics of 2 babies sleeping on the couch--one in a bouncer seat and one propped on a boppy. :eek Yet, she was advertising for 3 more infant spots. I brought it up with some other providers, and one of them turned her in. But, all of us would have turned her in. She did get shut down bc it's illegal to watch kids here without a license. Other people have advertised illegal daycares, and I just hope they're doing it safely. The other woman was advertising with the pictures.

[youretooloud]

After a shopping trip, I saw a dad put three small kids in the back of the car and then the oldest held the baby instead of any of them being in a carseat. That was an awful thing to see.
.

Oh, yes... not having a car seat, I'd probably try to stop that.

[MN Mom]

I checked ALL of the above. I feel that all of the scenarios you stated were within my realm of mandated reporting.....kwim?

The drunk drivers/non-licensed driver thing irks me because I have children on the road. It is sad, that they can be the safest and most careful driver out there and it is other careless, drunk or non-compliant drivers they (and I ) fear.

I didn't vote for the "garden in the basement" because I have a garden in mine. Mind you it's where we start our seeds for spring garden planting. A garden in the basement could mean anything, honestly.

Here's a funny story for you:

My 9 year old daughter had to write her own word problem for math last year. It was worded something like this -

My dad has 100 plants in his basement. He wants to expand his plants by 25 percent. How many more plants does he have to grow?

I was MORTIFIED when I saw her word problem, but didn't ask her to change it. I was SURE I would get a phone call or have someone from CPS show up at my door. Nothing happened. Not a word from the math teacher at conferences either. It is a very funny story to tell at family gatherings though! ::

[Blackcat31]

I didn't vote for the "garden in the basement" because I have a garden in mine. Mind you it's where we start our seeds for spring garden planting. A garden in the basement could mean anything, honestly.

Here's a funny story for you:

My 9 year old daughter had to write her own word problem for math last year. It was worded something like this -

My dad has 100 plants in his basement. He wants to expand his plants by 25 percent. How many more plants does he have to grow?

I was MORTIFIED when I saw her word problem, but didn't ask her to change it. I was SURE I would get a phone call or have someone from CPS show up at my door. Nothing happened. Not a word from the math teacher at conferences either. It is a very funny story to tell at family gatherings though! ::

LOL!! That IS funny! ::

I checked that I would turn someone in for the garden comment because I assumed that the OP actually meant growing illegal plants....kwim?

In real life, I would think that depending on who ro which kid made the statement AND with whatever I personally knew about the family would be how i would decide whether or not I would turn them in.