We cannot just assume that the next person will take care of the situation. We must act. This is not to say that there aren't some good parents, simply that there aren't enough. Many complain about the juvenile crime rate in America. I believe that juvenile crime is simply a consequence of poor parenting.
Children learn through example.
If the adults around the child aren't setting a good example, it becomes increasingly difficult to expect anything better of the child. There is no way for the government to regulate the ways parents influence their children. Parents, like other people, have the freedom to do as they please as long as they don't endanger the lives of their children. It seems that people have developed an apathetic attitude toward their personal responsiblities, or perhaps they don't understand the full consequences of their actions any better than a child. Bringing a life into this world is a tremendous responsiblity.