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https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/10/23/are-curfews-effective-when-keeping-teens-out-of-trouble/

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No parent wants to see their kid coming home at 4 in the morning. Every parent relates the time their child comes home at with whether they were correlated in an event that could have a negative occurrence. Teenage years revolve around finding one's self, outlook on the future, and at times, participating in events cause they are considered cool. Also, a form of acting rebellious. I was in high school, and without seeing statistics to backup my arguments I have first-hand experience that curfews lead teens to stay out of trouble. When I refer to curfews I am referring to state laws, not their parents giving the teenager a certain time to come home because those times vary among different adults.

A study shows that state's that have curfews have lower crime rate among teens. For example, "Typical curfews require that teenagers under 17 years stay out of streets starting from 11pm or midnight. This is believed to protect them from crimes committed after nightfall, as well as from violating the law, and there exist serious evidence in favor of this conviction. For example, when New Orleans enabled a dusk-till-dawn curfew in 1994, the rates of juvenile crime were reported to fall more than 20 percent." To go along with that statistic it also shows, "Even more impressive results were recorded in Dallas, which reported a 30 percent decrease in violent juvenile crime, and a 21 percent decrease in the overall rates of crimes committed by young people." Crime rate among teens is proven to go down when curfews are enforced among teenagers.

Teenage curfews have been a widely debated topic throughout history. Parents curfews have been enforced to the distraught sense on a teenage. While curfews enforced by the government have become a larger issue due to the fact that some parents do not believe their child should have a curfew. That is a factor in the problem with society, but that is an argument for another day. I believe curfew laws need to be involved because of the safety of the children. The child involved may not drink or engage in any events that usually lead to trouble, but coming home around midnight compared to 2AM is much safer. A study shows that drunk driving accidents are 4.5 times greater to occur later at night than during the day. Why put your child in risk to become a victim of a drunk driving accident? The child might have implications in doing anything wrong, but can still be effected.

I also believe a curfew develops values within a teen. It instills responsibility and awareness amongst teenagers. If a teenage values the curfew law that means he understands the importance of it and its effect on society. The curfew law is enforced to keep teenager's parents out of court arguing and saving money from the wrongdoing of their child. Studies show that 93% of cities that currently enforce a curfew law believe it is effective. The law also helps out cops because they are less apt to worry about children participating in troublesome late night events in the case that their parents are not strict and do not abide by their own curfew laws. Curfews are heavily effective within cities and states that value them. The law is a progressive sign in society that keeps teenagers out of trouble and is for the betterment of their life.

Works-Cited

1.) http://teens.lovetoknow.com/Teenage_Curfew

2.) http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/about/drunk-driving-statistics.html?gclid=CNbM1bHT2MgCFYgRHwodo-4PaQ

3.) http://www.usmayors.org/publications/curfew.htm

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SiOWfa15: Science in Our World: Certainty and Controversy

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No parent wants to see their kid coming home at 4 in the morning. Every parent relates the time their child comes home at with whether they were correlated in an event that could have a negative occurrence. Teenage years revolve around finding one's self, outlook on the future, and at times, participating in events cause they are considered cool.

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https://www.youthrights.org/issues/curfew/reasons-to-abolish/

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"Keep the fight going, be involved, hold adults, leaders, and the justice system accountable for their actions." As part of the Voices in Youth Rights series, this interview features Jarvus Turnley, a NYRA volunteer from Springfield, Tennessee. In addition to volunteering with NYRA, Jarvus works on the Robertson County Tennessee foster care review board, coaches...

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Should teens have a curfew? The topic of teenager curfews is usually a controversial one. Parents impose curfews to protect their teens, and teens often feel this is an unfair limitation placed upon them. Curfews imposed by state and local governments are even more controversial because it is not only teenagers who disagree with these laws, but many adults as well.

Teen Curfews Are a Traditional Rite of Passage

Teenager curfews have been around for centuries as the adult population has tried to keep adolescents safe. Most adults can remember being annoyed when hearing their parents tell them they had to be home at a particular time. Many adults also experienced being "grounded for life" for violating a curfew. Adhering to a curfew is one of the first ways many people learned to handle the responsibilities that go along with freedom.

Related Articles

Why Teenager Curfews Are Necessary

Parents have many motivations for imposing curfews on teenagers. The first one is because they care for their teen and want them to be safe. Parents have a responsibility to their children both morally and legally to keep them safe and monitor their activities. It is also a matter of social courtesy to know when to expect a teenager to be home. Parents need to know when their child is coming home so that they can get some sleep.

Safety

Often, it is not the behavior of the teenager that is of concern to a parent, but the behavior of other people and how it will impact them. For example, driving home at 11:00 p.m. is usually much safer than driving home at 2:00 a.m. when the bars have closed and the instance of people driving under the influence increases. Drunk drivers create a life-threatening hazard as they try to make their way home. A curfew is also a way for a teen to gracefully get out of an unsafe or unpleasant situation. Sometimes, it is just nice to have a reason to leave. It is also important for a parent to know when to expect their teenager to come home. If a parent is not expecting their child home at a particular time, they have no way of knowing if their child is in trouble or needs help. It is a good idea for all family members to tell someone where they are going and what time they will be home. This eliminates worry and increases safety.

Learning Responsibility

Growing up is a process. Following social rules is an important part of that process. The teen years are the time when a person is becoming a young adult who needs and should have the freedom to learn about life. Creating a safe environment to do this learning is a tough job. Teens need to be aware of natural consequences for not following rules as well as the consequences imposed by parents. Losing phone and computer privileges are much less damaging than spending time in jail. It takes time to learn a concept and put it into practice, but having a stable environment to learn in will allow a teenager to become a responsible young adult.

It's the Law

One of the reasons for imposing a teenager curfew is because of laws concerning curfews in some communities. Often curfew violations are quite expensive and time-consuming. Parents are held responsible for their child's behavior and have to appear in court, pay heavy fines, and sometimes attend classes or perform community service along with their teen. The efficacy of a curfew in crime prevention is the topic of debate at many city council meetings, but if the law is in place, it will be enforced.

Time Management

Setting a curfew teaches teens how to manage their time and plan ahead. With curfews, teens have to take into account how far away their destination is, how long they can stay there, and how long it will take them to get back home. This is a great skill that will certainly come in handy as they reach adulthood and have to keep track of their schedules, manage traffic, and be on time for class, appointments, and their job.

Building Trust

Until a teen is 18 or living on their own, parents are responsible for making sure they get home safely. A curfew allows parents to have some comfort when it comes to their child's wellbeing. If a parent knows when their child will be home, they can rest a bit easier knowing that there is mutual trust. A teen who continues to be consistent with their curfew can maintain a trusting, open relationship with his or her parents.

A Spoonful of Sugar

A parent should help their teen understand why the curfew is in place and be clear about what the penalty for breaking curfew will be. Teens should be allowed to negotiate their curfews for different activities and understand that they are earning their independence by being trustworthy and mature. By rewarding responsible behavior, a parent will encounter less resistance to enforcing rules. No teen is going turn cartwheels when a curfew is imposed, but understanding the rules will make them easier to follow.

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Reasons for Teenage Curfews | LoveToKnow

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Should teens have a curfew? The topic of teenager curfews is usually a controversial one. Parents impose curfews to protect their teens, and teens often feel this is an unfair limitation placed upon them. Curfews imposed by state and local governments are even more controversial because it is not only teenagers who disagree with these laws, but many adults as well.

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https://whyy.org/articles/curfews-dont-keep-kids-out-of-trouble/

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Youth curfews are popular. In poll after poll, Americans support laws that restrict teenagers' activities during certain hours of the day and night.

Youth curfews are also logical. If youngsters are getting into trouble, it makes sense to get them off the streets.

There's only one problem with youth curfews: They don't work. And we shouldn't kid ourselves that they do.

Yet that's what we're doing in Philadelphia, where Mayor Nutter recently extended a 9 p.m. curfew on Friday and Saturday nights for all unaccompanied minors in Center City and University City. The measure came on the heels of this summer's violent flash-mob episodes, which seem to have quieted down since then.

But the city already had a youth curfew in place, long before the flash-mob mayhem began. On weekdays, it's 9 p.m. for children under 13 and 10:30 p.m. for children 13 to 17; on the weekends, everyone has to be home by midnight.

And that hasn't done anything to stem the tide of youth violence in Philadelphia. Insofar as the downtown curfew has "worked," it probably just displaced crime from one part of the city - and one time of the day - to another.

That's what happened in Detroit, after it adopted a youth curfew in 1976. Juvenile crime dropped 6 percent during the curfew hours, but it increased 13 percent in the midafternoon. Nationwide, more than 80 percent of juvenile offenses take place between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. - outside most curfews.

Nor do we have any solid evidence that youth curfews lower the overall rate of juvenile crime. In a close study of Monrovia, Calif., in the 1990s, for example, sociologist Michael Males found that juvenile arrests for non-curfew crimes increased 53 percent during the school months when the town's curfew was enforced. In July and August, when the curfew was not enforced, non-curfew youth crime went down 12 percent.

So why are we so wedded to youth curfews? The answer has less to with youth than with adults. Whenever we get worried that the youth are out of control, we enact a curfew. And that makes us feel better, even if it doesn't make crime go down.

Youth curfews date to late 19th century, when America's cities swelled with millions of unsupervised teens. Like laws mandating school attendance and banning child labor, the argument went, curfews would improve individual lives even as they protected the social order.

President Benjamin Harrison called curfews "the most important municipal regulation for the protection of children in American homes from the vices of the street." By 1900, 3,000 municipalities had curfews in place.

The next set of curfews came during Prohibition in the 1920s, when speakeasies and gang violence sparked new anxieties about American youth. Although juvenile crime dropped during the decade, it made for good press - and, in several cities, for new curfews.

"The street corners and vacant lots of the city are the kindergartens of a school of crime," opined an editorial writer in Chicago, endorsing the city's 1921 curfew. "The primary and intermediate classes meet in vicious poolrooms. Cabarets and tough saloons are offering advanced lessons, and post-graduate instruction is available in the jails and penitentiaries."

Then came the juvenile-delinquency scare of the 1950s, which sparked - surprise! - another wave of youth curfews. By 1957, half of American cities with populations of more than 100,000 had juvenile-curfew laws.

But the greatest spike in curfews came in the early 1990s, amid a sharp rise in youth crime. Between 1988 and 1992, criminal offenses by juveniles rose 26 percent; even worse, youth crimes against persons - murder, rape, and assault - skyrocketed 56 percent.

So curfews boomed, too. From 1990 to 1995, 53 of America's 200 largest cities enacted new curfew ordinances. The effort got a boost from President Bill Clinton, who signed a 1996 measure allotting $75 million to help local governments enact curfews and other anti-crime ordinances. "They help keep our children out of harm's way," Clinton declared.

In fact, they don't. To his credit, Mayor Nutter has instituted other measures to fight juvenile crime, including expanding the hours that recreation centers stay open. And he has skillfully used his bully pulpit, taking to the streets and airwaves to encourage parents to keep a closer watch on their children.

More power to him, but not to the curfews. They might be good politics, but they're bad policy. Let's hope the mayor can tell the difference.
This article previously appeared on Philly.com.

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Curfews don't keep kids out of trouble - WHYY

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Youth curfews are popular. In poll after poll, Americans support laws that restrict teenagers' activities during certain hours of the day and night. Youth curfews are also logical. If youngsters are getting into trouble, it makes sense to get them off the streets. There's only one problem with youth curfews: They don't work.

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https://futureofworking.com/8-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-teenage-curfew/

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Millions of teenagers have been arrested in their communities since the 1990s because they broke curfew laws. The Guardian took a look at this issue in 2016 by following Officer Troy Owens during his patrol in San Diego.

Owens peers through the darkness of the California night, scanning the streets for anything that looks suspicious. Then he spots something at an intersection. He wonders if someone is hiding from him, and the swings the SUV around that he's driving and turns on his lights. Three teens then come out from behind an electrical box. All three are searched and handcuffed.

Their crime was being outside late at night. They weren't doing drugs, drinking, or trying to hurt anyone. In the city of San Diego, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to be outside past 10 pm in those circumstances.

Youth curfews in the United States date back to the late 19th century. Even then, adults in America's growing cities were becoming concerned about the idea that there will millions of teens outside without supervision. Laws that mandated school attendance and banned child labor were going to improve lives and protect the social order. President Benjamin Harrison even called them the "most important municipal regulation" for the protection of kids in homes from street vices. There were 3,000 curfew laws in place by 1900.

Are these rules working? Is crime lower because it is illegal for teens to be outside at night past a certain time? The advantages and disadvantages of teenage curfew may hold a few surprises for you to consider.

List of the Advantages of Teenage Curfew

1. It can be a way to give families access to the services they require.
Curfew violators in San Diego and other cities are often given the option to enter a diversion program instead of dealing with the fines that come with being out late. When they complete the program, then their charges are dropped. When kids come to the classes, then law enforcement officials can connect them to vocational training, community activities, and social services that can help to make their lives easier.

Free classes are held in many cities and offer a variety of experiences. Some have juvenile judges talk about the court system, while others bring in correctional officers to talk about what it means to be in the youth version of jail.

2. Most curfew laws allow teens to be outside after the permitted time for specific reasons.
Some teenage curfew laws have a zero-tolerance rule, so the teen can be arrested even if they are at a school event or in the company of their parents. Most communities allow for specific exemptions that let teens stay outside later than what would normally be permitted. If a parent or guardian is with them, then no police contact is usually necessary. Teens who have a job outside of their home at night can go to and from work. School events and religious activities are usually exempt with verification.

There are usually ways for teens to work around the structure of curfew so that they can live the life you want. It takes some effort at times, but most families don't need to worry about these laws at all.

3. It reduces the threat of human trafficking and child exploitation.
A child goes missing in the United States every 40 seconds. Although most of the 460,000 missing kids are eventually brought home safely, about 1,500 kidnappings are part of that data. Out of those incidents, about 1 in 5 of them involve an adult taking a child who is not part of their family. Predators often come out at night, and their primary targets are girls between the ages of 12-17. Boys are becoming more of a target for human traffickers as well. Curfew laws aren't just about making sure that teens don't get into trouble, even when they are marketed as such.

Having a teenage curfew also takes kids away from the people who would attempt to exploit or hurt them for personal gain.

4. Teenage curfew can teach lessons about personal responsibility.
Teens are finding their way in today's world. A curfew, either from their parents or their community, is a way to reach personal responsibility through time management. If you know that you must be home by a specific time, then you must create plans that make that outcome possible. If you fail to find success in this area, then there are legitimate consequences to reinforce the idea of being responsible.

Parents can take this opportunity to talk about what will work and what doesn't for their family. It helps kids to begin making choices for themselves. By giving them the opportunity to make these decisions with a safe environment and supportive structures, teens can learn how to make better choices for the rest of their lives.

5. Curfews can provide peace of mind for families.
The consistent enforcement of teenage curfew laws can help parents or guardians to know that their child will be home safe by a specific time. If they are not, then there are options available to make that happen in the near future. This advantage lessens the risk of having something happen when it is least expected, especially since most teens have a feeling that they are invincible in some way.

A teenage curfew also reduces the number of situations that may lead to drinking, drug use, and other choices that teens might regret one day. It is easier to give in to pressure when you are tired, and it is late at night.

6. It is an opportunity for parents and teens to set healthy boundaries.
All of us set limits in our lives in multiple ways. By curbing the time that a teen can be outside late at night, the teenage curfew laws help put boundaries in place for parents and teens that help to keep everyone safer. Communities and families can work together to reinforce the barriers that parents set in the home while fostering the independent spirit of teenagers as they work to discover who they are as a person.

This advantage only works when there is actual parental involvement in the teen's life, but mentors can also help teens to see the possible benefits that occur when one decides to follow the rules.

7. Curfew laws can work to prevent gang violence.
Residents in the cities and counties across the United States look at curfew laws as a way to keep kids safe. The evening is the time that gangs typically choose to commit violent acts under cover of darkness. Some groups even visit adjoining communities that do not have curfew laws to fight their rivals, often resulting in intensified destruction and mortality. When local governments impose teenage curfews, the goal is to defend the innocent and round up the guilty.

List of the Disadvantages of Teenage Curfew

1. It provides parents and teens with a false sense of security.
The usual promise of a curfew for teens is that it will get them home during the evening so that they can stay healthy and safe. There is a false premise that suggests most of the criminal activity of juveniles occurs during the overnight hours. The most likely time for incidents to occur is after school and before dinner, which is a time that curfews don't help. This approach cannot be a general answer to all possible problems.

Teens that want to participate in negative activities can do so at school, from home, and at any other time during the day. If communities rely on this structure to keep people safe, then it represents a lack of familiarity with the limits that families need today.

2. Most curfews are set from an autocratic standpoint.
Some parents and communities set the rules of a teenage curfew without any input from those that the rules effect. When you hand down rules like this in such a fashion, then it removes the opportunity to bring developing negotiation skills. It helps to speak with kids, parents, and community members to understand their desires and needs while still providing a certain level of structure for everyone.

If we fail to listen to opposing viewpoints, then the message presented to teens is that their point of view is unimportant. When that outcome occurs, then there is a reduction in the levels of respect experienced in the family environment. It also creates a communication barrier that can be challenging to overcome.

3. Some teenage curfew rules can encourage rebellion.
Teens that receive a curfew will usually see that structure as something of a consequence. If they do not feel that they've done anything to warrant such an approach, then there is an excellent chance a family will see anger and rebellion develop. Teens need a chance to offer input or opinions to prevent unexpressed destructive emotions from forming. It often stops the development of maturity because it communicates a lack of trust. There is no way to develop independence or responsibility if parents or the community expect someone to be home-bound by a specific time.

4. There can be legal consequences for violating curfews.
Several municipalities across the United States have instituted ordinances that govern teens and curfews. Families that live in these communities must ensure that their kids are abiding by the rules. Even if you do not agree with the principles behind the laws, failing to follow them can result in fines - or even jail time in some situations. That's why some groups, including the National Youth Rights Association, assert that the idea of teenage curfew laws is unconstitutional because it restricts the rights of a specific demographic.

5. It impacts minority teens more than any other demographic.
No other country in the world uses the same approach to implementing a teenage curfew as the United States does. It has become a way to respond to the problems of society that blames young people for all of the problems that happen without affecting the adults in the conversation. A case study by the American Civil Liberties Union found that in Minneapolis, 56% of the curfew charges brought by police were for African-American youth. Caucasian teens were responsible for only 17% of the incidents.

Hispanic youth see the same problem in San Diego. Even though police reject the idea that they racially profile teens as part of the curfew law, 59% of arrests in 2010 impacted the minority population compared to 16% for Caucasian teens.

6. Teenage curfew laws create unnecessary conflicts with today's youth and police.
When Owens' commanding officer in 2016 began the shift that would lead to curfew patrols, his advice was simple: "Happy hunting." During the first 13 minutes after the curfew was instituted that night, there were four teens under arrest. Another six would be picked up throughout the evening, and that is the average number for each night. The record in San Diego for the southeast division is 50 encounters.

Police officers say that these contacts are not failures. It is a reflection of them doing their job. The reality of this disadvantage is that it creates what are often needless encounters with teens. It places them and the officer at a higher risk of a violent encounter over the idea that someone is away from home too late at night.

7. The data to support the idea of curfews is lacking.
Monrovia, CA became one of the first cities to claim success with the institution of a teenage curfew. President Bill Clinton even flew out to the city in 1996 to celebrate the idea at their local high school. This action took place during the era when the idea of "super predators" was taking root in American society, so there was a desire to remove any possible attempt to commit a crime. This approach seemed to be a meaningful answer, so it spread like wildfire. The only problem is that there is limited data to support the approach, so most of the opinions about it tend to come from an emotional place.

8. Neighborhoods without curfew sweeps often see less crime.
Proponents of teenage curfew might suggest that the reason why neighborhoods that don't receive sweeps have less crime because it goes unreported. There is research that suggests that places in San Diego and others that don't see regular enforcement of curfew laws have larger drops in criminal activity from 2011-2016 than those who had them regularly. When you combine truancy laws with a curfew, most kids can only be outside for a few hours each day. That means the underlying assumption is that most kids are criminals when the opposite is really the reality.

9. Teenage curfew does not set an example of how the real world works.
When a community decides to impose a teenage curfew on every person of a specific age, then the leadership assumes that every teen is a potential troublemaker. It also implies that these kids don't have an awareness of how to care for themselves. The real world does have laws that demand compliance, but adults rarely find themselves restricted by a curfew situation. Only emergencies restrict movements in most circumstances.

When teens must begin making their own decisions in life without the protection of curfew rules, the duties asked of them may cause confusion, misunderstandings, or worse.

10. There are other interventions that reduce youth crime more effectively than curfews.
The Clinton Administration signed a measure in 1996 that allotted $75 million toward communities so that they could institute new curfew laws. Many communities have found that using recreation centers, investing in youth sports, and creating meaningful vocational opportunities does more to take back the streets from criminals than issuing a specific time-based deadline that everyone must follow. Even having better parental involvement is better than a police-enforced curfew.

The benefits of parental involvement are numerous. Teens with actively engaged parents have higher grades, better test scores, and higher homework completion rates. They stay in school better, and there are improvements to their social behaviors and skills. Something as simple as setting a goal with a teen and then helping them to achieve it can help to reduce the need for a curfew. One could argue that the presence of these laws is more of an indication that parents don't want to be involved.
Conclusion
There are always exceptions to every rule. Some communities do see a lot of success with their curfew laws because the structure of them works to resolve specific issues that occur. Most of the time, these laws are not working for equally specific reasons.

The Campbell Collaboration examined over 7,000 studies on teenage curfews. They also synthesized a dozen of the most rigorous studies. Their report states that the evidence suggests that the laws are ineffective at reducing crime. The average effect on crime was slightly positive, which means there were more incidents in communities with laws than those without. Empty streets are also an invitation for criminal conduct.

What are some realistic expectations for a teenage curfew? Parents must sit down with their children to decide what their specific supervision needs are. If both parties decide that a curfew is necessary, then clear expectations can be set at this time. Communities have the right to enforce their own rules too, but it always comes back to the levels of adult involvement in a child's life.

Baltimore has one of the strictest teenage curfew laws in the country. Children under the age of 13 must be inside starting at 9 pm each night. Teens between the ages of 14-16 have an 11 pm curfew. If a child is picked up by law enforcement, then city workers visit the house to offer support services.

That's why we must continually evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of teenage curfew. The panic of the 1990s doesn't make people safer. The police department in Austin, TX decided that it was time to get rid of the laws because it wasn't making a positive impact on juvenile victimization.

Author Biography
Keith Miller has over 25 years of experience as a CEO and serial entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, he has founded several multi-million dollar companies. As a writer, Keith's work has been mentioned in CIO Magazine, Workable, BizTech, and The Charlotte Observer. If you have any questions about the content of this blog post, then please send our content editing team a message here.

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17 Advantages and Disadvantages of Teenage Curfew

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Millions of teenagers have been arrested in their communities since the 1990s because they broke curfew laws. The Guardian took a look at this issue in 2016 by following Officer Troy Owens during his patrol in San Diego. Owens peers through the darkness of the California night, scanning the streets for anything that looks suspicious.

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https://debatewise.org/2596-child-curfews/

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Should young people be subjected to night-time curfews as a way to reduce crime?

All the Yes points:

1. Youth crime is a major and growing problem, often involving both drugs and violence.

2. The use of child curfews can help to protect vulnerable children.

3. There is no good reason for children to be out unaccompanied late at night.

4. Child curfews are a form of zero tolerance policing.

5. Child curfews can help to change a negative youth culture.

6. Other schemes aimed at reducing youth crime are desirable.

7. Minors don't have rights.

8. It teaches teenagers to be responsible and also considerate of other people around them

9. They will learn the importance of being on time to places

All the No points:

1. Bored teenagers will spend the night playing football/basketball or some other fun outdoor activity

2. It is physically impossible to hold teenagers under house arrest without

3. Juvenile criminals tend not to listen to their parents

4. Deemed Unconstitutional (in some cases)

Youth crime is a major and growing problem, often involving both drugs and violence.

The use of child curfews can help to protect vulnerable children.

There is no good reason for children to be out unaccompanied late at night.

Child curfews are a form of zero tolerance policing.

Child curfews can help to change a negative youth culture.

Other schemes aimed at reducing youth crime are desirable.

Minors don't have rights.

It teaches teenagers to be responsible and also considerate of other people around them

They will learn the importance of being on time to places

Bored teenagers will spend the night playing football/basketball or some other fun outdoor activity

if there were no curfews in certain U.S states; many young convicts in the making, would have something non-criminal to do at night. A lot of vandalism is the product of boredom, as are many petty crimes. When sports' complexes, gyms and eat-outs are closed off to teenagers, after hours; they are bound to entertain themselves in other ways.

A lot of students find it difficult to study at home, nights are spent far more more productively in the school or public library.

Really most young people are scared of a criminal record. Have you seen the young people these days. A criminal record is only as good as what you've got it for I have a criminal record from when I was young and stupid and it has never interfered in my academic or professional career. All employers take criminal records with a pinch of salt.

It is physically impossible to hold teenagers under house arrest without

Performing some kind of abuse.
Parents should not have to 'force' their children to not go out at all. Or to only attend family events at night or to only get out when there's an emergency. Concerts, night galas and sports' games/matches, mostly happen in the night. Robbing young people of a healthy social life, is the perfect way to foster teenage porn addiction or at the very least: bad posture.

Juvenile criminals tend not to listen to their parents

Deemed Unconstitutional (in some cases)

In some cases the legal courts have ruled that curfews are unconstitutional. Based on the 14th Amendment which states "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Based on this Amendment no matter how practical or impractical curfews are. They can be deemed unconstitutional unless exceptions are present. In which case the Minor's "rights" aren't impaired or abridge. Exceptions can include written notes from parents, circumstances that require the minor to break curfew, late night work, and errands. Curfew's that don't allow breakage at all. Can be shot down in the courts unless exceptions are present such as ones I listed above.

I will point out not all curfew cases have been deemed unconstitutional. Some were deemed to vague and some impede on parents right to punish or teach their children themselves. Another amendment used is the 1st Amendment. The right to assemble peacefully and to speak openly. However, most court cases repeal or deem them unconstitutional.

There has been no solid evidence linked in court cases. That have found curfews being strong factor on youth crimes. However it does spark rebellion against parents, and the law. Minors under the age of restriction, will likely break curfew anyways. They may be encouraged to do so. When hard evidence about statistics is presented. I'll remove this argument. Most cases have failed even with evidence. At some point or another Minors will rebel against curfew laws. So, I'm strongly against it. I'm 18 years old and firmly believe equal rights amongst minors.

Examples: http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/juvenile/juvenile7.htm http://www.nyclu.org/regions/genesee-valley/forsyth_unconstitutional_curfew

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We Should Have Child Curfews - DebateWise

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Should young people be subjected to night-time curfews as a way to reduce crime? Youth crime is a major and growing problem, often involving both drugs and violence. The use of child curfews can help to protect vulnerable children. There is no good reason for children to be out unaccompanied late at night.

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Stacie L has been an educator for many years and likes to share her experiences and advice.

Accountibility

Should law enforcement make juveniles accountable or the parents? Anyone under the age of 18 years is considered to be a minor in most states.

If you ask 10 people how they feel about curfews for minors, you'll probably get 10 different opinions. It isn't any easy topic to find agreement on. Major towns and cities have had curfew laws governing teens but there are groups that will fight those laws claiming that they are unconstitutional.

" In the earliest years, curfews were aimed almost exclusively at keeping young criminals off the street. Today, new curfew legislation often tries to solve more complex social ills, such as the inability of parents to control their children and the alarming number of innocent children who are the unintended victims of drive-by shootings and other adult violence "according to Tony Favro, writer at CityLimits.com.

A group called Citizens Against the Dallas Daytime Curfew, co-hosted two rallies with the ACLU to speak out against a proposed ordinance for teen curfews. One rally took place at Dallas City Hall and the other one ran concurrently at Bedford City Hall, where the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district already has a daytime curfew in place.

According to this group, the curfew laws are not needed because the police already pick up youth and bring them to school. They also fine the parents $500.00 for each offense, thus causing a major hardship financially on the family. Business owners may also face a $500.00 fine if they allow youth between the hours of 9:00 am and 2:30 pm in their store. Also contested is the fact that the daytime burglaries are committed by adults, not children, so there's no justification to the claims of increased crime. They maintain a Facebook profile and encourage people to sign up.

The American Civil Liberties Union ACLU

The ACLU usually gets involved in landmark cases and like to think of themselves as fighters for the underdog.

They successfully fought Washington, D.C.'s curfew law in favor of teens not having a curfew. The city is appealing that ruling at this writing. They are also facing a court challenge in Charlottesville, Virgina.

Minneapolis and Roswell, N.M., have daytime curfews to keep students in school. Parents in Charleston, S.C., sign forms authorizing the police to bring their children home if found between midnight and 6 am.

Some businesses, including malls, across the country are setting their own curfews to cut down on fights and large gatherings that interfere with other customers. According to a Teenage Research Unlimited, malls are restricting teens to 9pm curfew or they must be accompanied by an adult under the age of 15.

Teenage Research Unlimited states that 68% of 12- to 19-year-olds spend 3 hours at the mall each week. There's not many places for teens to hang out and socialize. Large groups do pose a problem and parents aren't there to supervise their curfews.
Parental Rights
There are those that feel only the parents can set the curfew for their children. The legislators have taken that responsibility from the parents because they believe they are not supervising their teens. Since the crime rate for minors decreased when curfews are in place, it's hard to argue against repealing it.

Curfews for Teens Driving at Night

Most of the 50 states have enacted new curfews for teens night driving. In general, anyone under 18 years old may not drive between the hours of 12 midnight until 5 am. There are some exceptions; such as Illinois restricting teens from driving between the hoursof 10pm to 6am, for example.

They reason is simple. The earlier teens are off the roads, the more lives are saved. Teens have the highest number of fatalities out of every group. Not only teens behind the wheel, but their passengers and other drivers are being save by these new driving curfews.

Some parents are seeing this as a major headache. They got their child to this point of responsibility and now they are have a new worry keeping them up at night.. If their son or daughter isn't in by 12 midnight ,then they may face large fines or worse. Some legislators have name this the "Cinderella law " and for good reason.

Now if we could stop them from texting and driving, that would be a major accomplishment!

The Latest on Teen Curfews
In recent years, the popularity of curfews as a means of combating teen crime has mushroomed. There are more than 700 cities have enacted teen curfews, including 146 of the nation's largest 200.

Barely one-third of city officials surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors called curfew laws not "very effective."; the reason given mostly was due to lack of resources to enforce them. It sounds like money, not sound reasoning ,was the deciding factor.

Juvenile curfew laws are local ordinances that prohibit people of a certain age (usually under 18) from being in public or in a business establishment during certain hours (such as between 11:00 pm. and 6:00 am.). The legislative intent behind juvenile curfew laws is usually social order goals like prevention of crimes involving juveniles, and maintenance of the general peace.

Juvenile Curfew Laws and Exempted Activities

Almost all juvenile curfew laws identify exempted activities or exceptions under which juveniles may lawfully be out after curfew. These exceptions will vary by jurisdiction, but typically include:

Minors accompanied by a parent or guardian

Minors traveling to or from work

Minors attending official school or religious events

Minors running errands under an adult's instruction

Emergencies

Punishment for Juvenile Curfew Violations
Punishment for juvenile curfew law violations also varies among jurisdictions, but can often include one or more of the following options:

Fines (usually increasing for subsequent violations)

Imposition of community service or required enrollment in after-school programs

Restriction of driver's license privileges

Possible detention in jail or juvenile hall.

In some cities, parents who knowingly allow their children to violate curfew laws may also be subject to fines and other punishment.

The groups opposed to curtailing youth freedom contend that law enforcement is violating their 14th amendment rights.

The 14th amendment reads, "All persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law, which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens in the United States. Nor shall any state deprive a person of life liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws. "

Law enforcement personnel, in most states , say the need for curfews largely depends on the area and its' crime rate. Students working, going to sports or entertainment events , or attending night classes at the local college are needlessly fined and sometimes arrested. Parents have to take time off from work and spend money on lawyers and fines,which is clogging the courts systems. Repeat offenders could land parents in jail.

T een Pregnancy Blamed on Lax Curfews

There are some in the health care industry and school districts that are seeing more pregnant girls than ever before. The teen pregnancy rate is also alarming since the US has the highest rates in the world. Coming in earlier may help, but it's far more complex an issue than an earlier curfew can help.

Summary of why minors should be subject to legal curfews

There have been time restrictions for minors on the books for many years. These laws were originally enacted to protect children and the public from youth crime.

Due to very permissive parents or absent parents, children are on their own for much of the time. I see youngsters on the streets on weekdays which means they are not attending public or private school. If you ask one of them why they are not in school because they are taught at home or "home schooled."

It seems that some parents and public school districts are looking the other way, in the case of home schooled children. I tend to think that this trend will continue since the home schooled students, in general, score higher on standardized tests.

But on the other hand, there are many families that move frequently and their children are kept out of school telling neighbors that they are home schooled. In reality they are not receiving any education.

The idea of daylight curfew seems appropriate to me and is in the best interest of children and the general public at large. Many parents think it's acceptable to have children out unsupervised during school hours. I think we as a society need to set an example to children and young adults. The parents are responsible for their whereabouts and the teens are accountable for their actions.

Originally the nighttime curfew was intended to do the same; protect the students from possible child neglect and public from juvenile delinquency. Teens dying behind the wheel is another major concern for new curfews. More lives have been saved since enacting these laws.

Another disturbing by-product of unsupervised students is the teen pregnancy rate. It appears that the US teens excel in that area, since we have the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world.

*Update: Since writing the original article, it is now reported that US teen pregnancy rates are dropping. This is one piece of good news, which is not due to the curfew laws.

There may be a delicate balance between infringing on the 14th amendment rights of an individual and child neglect .

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

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Should Teens Under 18 Be Subject to Curfew Laws

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Stacie L has been an educator for many years and likes to share her experiences and advice. Should law enforcement make juveniles accountable or the parents? Anyone under the age of 18 years is considered to be a minor in most states.

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https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/ten-arguments-against-youth-curfews#:~:text=Other%20arguments%20against%20youth%20curfews,differing%20family%20and%20parenting%20contexts.

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Ten Arguments Against Youth Curfews | Office of Justice Programs

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Photo by thecourtyard on Flickr.

Yesterday, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett proposed setting a curfew on teenagers under 18, raising concerns about how young people are treated here and around the country.

Expedited Bill 25-11 (PDF) would bar minors from being in public in Montgomery County after 11 pm on weeknights, and after midnight on weekends. Exceptions would be made for young people coming home from work, attending a school or church activity, or those accompanied by a parent or other authorized adult, and anyone caught breaking curfew would be taken to the nearest police station.

While it's true that curfews in other cities have sometimes successfully reduced crime (PDF), many feel they are unnecessarily restrictive and discriminatory against teenagers. They also don't address what may be the root cause of teen crime, which is a general lack of things to do.

After dark, there isn't much to do in Montgomery County, which contributes to the problem. Many of the county's movie theatres and bowling alleys have closed in recent years, so teens often end up in urban areas like Rockville Town Center, downtown Bethesda and downtown Silver Spring, where some of them get into trouble and harm others.

If there were more legitimate nighttime activities for teens, that would deter some of the illegitimate activities from happening. Parent groups often organize post-prom parties to deter drinking after school dances. Perhaps the Recreation Department or other organizations could set up similar events on other nights.

It's unclear whether a curfew in Montgomery County is actually necessary. Though Leggett's spokesman, Patrick Lacefield, claims that Montgomery has become a magnet for gang members coming from the District and Prince George's, police statistics show that youth crime in the county is decreasing.

The number of youth under 18 arrested each year has been steady for the past ten years and, in fact, fell for most of the decade. Meanwhile, the number of juvenile offenses recorded each year has fallen by 36 percent since 2001. According to the Washington Post, gang-related incidents in the county have dropped by more than half since 2007.

It could even be that the increase in public spaces such as downtown Silver Spring available to teens in Montgomery County may even be contributing to the decline in crime, since such places are effectively chaperoned by the general public. Cutting troublesome teens off from public spaces would only send them "underground" and out of sight.

Whether or not the proposed curfew would be effective, it may also be illegal. Teen curfews have faced many court challenges, often finding them to be too restrictive. In 2007, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the city of Lake Oswego, Oregon on behalf of four high school students, stating that a teen curfew there " criminalizes all youth" whether or not they had done anything wrong. Two years ago, a state appeals court in California struck down a teen curfew in San Diego that had many of the same provisions as Montgomery County's proposed curfew, arguing that the ban was too broad to be enforced.

There are better solutions. We can reduce crime and provide more activities for people of all ages in Montgomery County by creating more nightlife options in urban centers like downtown Silver Spring, putting eyes on the street and giving teenagers legitimate places to go.

The Fillmore music hall, which opens this fall, will do just that, putting two thousand ticket-buying people on the streets multiple times a week. More housing downtown will also keep the area populated and patrolled after the diners and concertgoers have left.

Teen curfews, like last year's county-imposed skateboarding ban in downtown Silver Spring, just punish all young people for the misdeeds of a few. What's next, mandatory summer school for everyone because a few kids flunked English?

With crime decreasing and the possibility of judicial challenge, a curfew in Montgomery County is a solution looking for a problem. There are more substantial ways to combat crime and boredom, so long as we're willing to find them.
The curfew bill goes before the Montgomery County Council at a public hearing on Tuesday, July 26, at the Council Office Building in Rockville. For more information, see the County Council website.

Dan Reed (he/they) is Greater Greater Washington's regional policy director, focused on housing and land use policy in Maryland and Northern Virginia. For a decade prior, Dan was a transportation planner working with communities all over North America to make their streets safer, enjoyable, and equitable. Their writing has appeared in publications including Washingtonian, CityLab, and Shelterforce, as well as Just Up The Pike, a neighborhood blog founded in 2006. Dan lives in Silver Spring with Drizzy, the goodest boy ever.

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Yesterday, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett proposed setting a curfew on teenagers under 18, raising concerns about how young people are treated here and around the country. Expedited Bill 25-11 (PDF) would bar minors from being in public in Montgomery County after 11 pm on weeknights, and after midnight on weekends.

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What is Teenage Curfew? Teenage curfew refers to the time that you have set for your children to reach home. The child is with friends or in university or anywhere else, he/she come back home by the time set by their respective parents.

It is important to be social with others and this aspect is high and especially when the child is growing. However, at the same time, it is also crucial that children are safe. Therefore, curfews give enough time to children for entertainment and reach home safely.

In many countries, Teen curfews laws are strictly followed. According to those laws, children are not permitted to enter the public place or in offices after the certain hours. And in case, if the entry is unavoidable then they are allowed to enter in the company of their parents or the reason must be genuine.

Here the question appears in mind, whether curfews are beneficial for teens or not? You will get the answer while reading further on the topic.

Why Should A Curfew Allowed for Teens?

Every child feels safe and protective in the company of their parents. When parents give permission to their children to go out they worry about their safety at the same time. Parents want to see their children on time. If by chance, children reaches home late they get late for the school next day or for any other crucial task.

And here comes the need for teenage curfew. Parents make a set of rules according to which reaching home on time becomes mandatory. The curfew gives a peace of time to both parents and children.

Pros of Teen Curfews:

It is not the case that all teens agree with the teen curfew, some of them hate this and consider curfew a restriction. Fortunately, teen Curfew has several benefits. Check the advantages given below:

1. Peace of Mind: The rules made for teen curfew gives protection to children and peace of mind to parents. When your teenage children reach home within the given time, you feel relax.

2. Teen Safety: Children become victim of crime during the night time. Teenage curfew ensures their safety at home. A study reveals that curfew decreased the youth arrest by 15%.

3. Responsibility: The next human stage is adulthood after teenage. As a parent, you must ensure that the transition period from teenage to youth should be smooth and steady by following the teen curfew. A curfew makes your child responsible rather than careless. If they stick on the curfew rules, it is ensured that they will grow up into a responsible person.

4. Time Management: A teenager has immense task to do in one day such as school, socializing, playful activities etc., for personal development. Thus, a time schedule will eventually make things easy for them. Sometimes, teen make decisions in a haste but teen curfew inculcate positive habits in them. They will learn to manage time to do a specific task.

5. Helps in giving an excuse: Suppose your teenage child is struck in the environment where they feel lonely and unsafe, their curfew can rescue them. They can leave the place without giving an excuse or hurting somebody's feelings.

Cons of Teen Curfews:

While teenage curfews have pros, there are some cons also attached to it. Here is the list of disadvantages of Teenage Curfews:

1. Loss of Freedom: Some teenagers believe teen curfew is an injustice on their freedom. In some cases, they get rebellious and look for ways to go out for an outing without acknowledging their parents about it.

2. Trouble in Tackling Real Life Situations: Though as a parent, we want to give protection to our children from the real time situations but at the same time, they should have an idea about it. The more they know how to tackle real world, the better they can protect themselves in future. It could be a little shocking for teenagers to live under curfew rules and suddenly gets an exposure to the real world when they become adult.

Tips While Making Teen Curfews:

If you are clueless about setting the curfew rules then some handy tips given below might help you:

1. Select a reasonable time: Rather than making one time for teenagers to reach home, consider keeping the flexible timings. For instance, you can keep 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. for weekends. The decision for time is based on the following factors:

Their next day routine

The safety of the venue

With whom they are accompanying

What activities they perform

2. Make them Aware of the Laws: If your state/country has teen curfew law then collect all the information about it. Check the aspects of the law follows in your state such as driving license, public appearance in the company of parents etc. Spend a time with your child and discuss all these points before making rules. Ask them politely to follow the law for ease and safety.

3. Sleep time: Teenagers should get enough sleep every day. Their body requires eight to ten hours sleep in a day to be ready for the next day tasks. Thus, keep the sleep time in your mind while preparing the rules.

4. Express what you expect: Parents should not hide anything from their children. When you tell your children about the curfew, ensure to clear the following points:

They should be in your regular touch.

Must inform you if getting late.

They should know the consequences if the curfew rules are not followed.

5. Involve Teenagers in Making Curfew Rules: There is no harm in involving your teenage children while setting the curfew timings. They feel compliant and important as well.

6. Change the curfew timings: You can change the curfew timings with the maturity level of your teenage child. However, if your teen comes home late, you can discuss and know the reason.

Winding Up:

With the teenagers at home, parents have to think of distinct ways to maintain the discipline. It is not fair on parents' part to stop their children from socializing. However, a reasonable teenage curfew can relax both children and parents. The teenage curfew is to keep everything in balance between parents and children. It also adds responsibility on teenagers which will have beneficial results in the long run.

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Why curfews are important for teenagers, Pros and Cons of Curfews

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What is Teenage Curfew? Teenage curfew refers to the time that you have set for your children to reach home.

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https://howtoadult.com/disadvantages-of-teen-curfews-9602848.html

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From changing a diaper to your daughter’s first date, How to Adult provides expert tips to help answer all your most pressing parenting questions.

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Since the 1960s, government officials have increasingly turned to curfews to control riots. Curfews have been upheld by federal courts, despite some challenges under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court, however, has yet to review the constitutionality of curfews. They declined in 1976 to hear a case about juvenile curfews. (In this photo, New York police arrest a group of people after curfew in New York, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. New York City extended an 8 p.m. curfew all week as officials struggled to stanch destruction and growing complaints that the nation's biggest city was reeling out of control night by night. AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Curfews are government policies that order certain persons - or all persons - to be off the streets by a certain time, usually in the evening, and to remain off the streets until the curfew is lifted, usually in the morning.

Curfews were imposed on racial minorities

During the Jim Crow era and occasionally during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, governments in the South imposed curfews on African Americans. And on the West Coast during World War II, Gen. John L. Dewitt of the Western Defense Command imposed them on Japanese Americans. Such policies, aside from being racially discriminatory, are viewed as odious to those who seek to preserve the freedoms and ideals of the First Amendment.

Government have turned to curfews to quell urban riots

In the United States, governments legitimately may impose limited curfews only during times of dire emergency.

After many urban riots during the 1960s, government officials increasingly turned to the curfew. As a law review piece in the late 1960s explained: "the curfew is rapidly becoming one of the most popular riot control devices in the government official's arsenal." ("Judicial Control of the Riot Curfew" at p. 1560).

Many local governments have ordinances that provide that mayors or other city leaders can impose curfews during states of emergency. Such ordinances are justified by the government's police powers. The North Carolina Supreme Court upheld a curfew in Asheville, North Carolina, noting that "experience in other cities also has demonstrated the efficiency of a preventive curfew promptly imposed." State v. Dobbins (N.C. 1971).

Most litigation over curfews, however, concerns policies targeted at juveniles. Cities and states have enacted juvenile curfews to address juvenile crime or to protect the safety and well-being of youths. Some juvenile curfew laws have existed since the nineteenth century. President Benjamin Harrison referred to them as "the most important municipal regulation for the protection of the children of American homes, from the vices of the street" (Harvard Law Review 2005: 2402).

Courts say curfews must have exception for First Amendment-protected activities

Many times, juveniles and their parents challenge restrictive curfew policies, alleging violations of due process, equal protection, and the First Amendment.

In Nunez v. City of San Diego (1997), the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that to survive judicial scrutiny, a curfew law generally must contain an exception for minors who are engaged in First Amendment-protected activities, such as political events, death penalty protests, or religious services.

The lower courts have been divided over the constitutionality of curfews, even in the face of a First Amendment defense.

In Hodgkins v. Peterson (2004), the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Indiana's curfew law although the law provided minors an affirmative defense if they were participating in activity protected by the First Amendment. The court reasoned that the defense did not save the ordinance because it "does not significantly reduce the chance that a minor might be arrested for exercising his First Amendment rights."

Many courts will, however, uphold curfew ordinances if they provide for a First Amendment defense, whether specifically for the right of assembly or the free exercise of religion, or for expressive activities in general.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Hutchins v. District of Columbia (1999), upheld a curfew from a challenge that the law's First Amendment exception was too vague. The appeals court reasoned that the ordinance's First Amendment defense was "no more vague than the First Amendment itself."

Earlier, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals had upheld a city curfew for juveniles in Schleifer v. City of Charlottesville (1998): "We decline to punish the City for its laudable effort to respect the First Amendment. A broad exception from the curfew for such activities fortifies, rather than weakens, First Amendment values."

Supreme Court has yet to examine curfew laws

Confusion on this issue in the lower courts likely will continue until the Supreme Court examines the constitutionality of a juvenile curfew law or a curfew enacted in the wake of an emergency.

The Court had an opportunityto review the constitutionality of a curfew in Bykofsky v. Middleton (1976) , but the Court denied certiorari. Justice Thurgood Marshall dissented, writing that the Court should take the case to examine whether "the due process rights of juveniles are entitled to lesser protection than that of adults."

While curfews remain an important tool to protect public safety and property, they do impose significant costs.Not only do curfews restrict individual freedom to assemble and meet, they can lead to the arrest of individuals who are not engaging in any criminal activity.
. is a law professor at Belmont who publishes widely on First Amendment topics. He is the author of a 12-lecture audio course on the First Amendment, Freedom of Speech: Understanding the First Amendment (Now You Know Media, 2018). He also is the author of many First Amendment books, including The First Amendment: Freedom of Speech (Thomson Reuters, 2012) and Freedom of Speech: Documents Decoded (ABC-CLIO, 2017). This article was originally published in 2009, and last updated June 3, 2020.
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Since the 1960s, government officials have increasingly turned to curfews to control riots. Curfews have been upheld by federal courts, despite some challenges under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court, however, has yet to review the constitutionality of curfews. They declined in 1976 to hear a case about juvenile curfews.

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Justice Lab is a column that examines the science, social science and technology of criminal justice

It's a summer ritual in many American cities - declaring a juvenile curfew to keep troublemaking teenagers off the streets. This summer at least one city-Austin-has decided not to sound the alarm.

The Austin Police Department's assistant chief, Troy Gay, told The Marshall Project, "We looked at the evidence and decided it was time to discard the curfew law; it wasn't making an impact on juvenile victimization." The evidence was a report drafted by a consortium of community groups that banded together to challenge Austin's curfew law in 2017. Police Chief Brian Manley was persuaded, and asked the City Council to rescind the juvenile curfew law.

Juvenile curfew laws are ubiquitous and deeply entrenched. The Clinton Administration issued a report recommending the use of juvenile curfew laws to address the "rising juvenile delinquency and victimization rates" of the 1990s. By 2009, 84% of cities with populations greater than 180,000 had enacted curfew laws. They remain an alarmist staple in communities across the country.

"With summer in full swing, we want to remind our young people and their guardians that our city has a long-standing juvenile curfew," said East Orange, N.J., Mayor Ted R. Green. "Safety continues to be our number one priority, and preventive measures such as a curfews are paramount during the months when school is out."

"I really don't understand why there is so much disdain or confusion for a curfew," said Montgomery, Ala., Councilman Glen Pruitt, sponsor of a curfew ordinance. "I have a son who is 16 and his rear-end is in the house at 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock."

A voluminous body of research has cast strong doubts on the claims that juvenile curfew laws prevent victimization or reduce juvenile crime, but these findings have received scant attention from policy makers or police.

A systematic review of research literature on juvenile curfew programs was published in 2016 by the Campbell Collaboration, a nonprofit that synthesizes research studies for policy-makers. Campbell examined over 7,000 studies on juvenile curfews and synthesized the 12 most rigorous studies. The report stated that, "evidence suggests that juvenile curfews are ineffective at reducing crime and victimization. The average effect on juvenile crime during curfew hours was slightly positive - that is a slight increase in crime - and close to zero for crime during all hours. Similarly, juvenile victimization also appeared unaffected by the imposition of a curfew ordinance."

The Campbell findings followed a systematic review of juvenile curfew literature published in 2003 by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. That review found that "empirical studies of the impact of curfew laws failed to support the argument that curfews reduce crime and criminal victimization."

Why are juvenile curfew laws ineffective? For one thing, the studies found that they damage already-strained relationships between police and youth of color and in some instances have "blowback" effects, increasing juvenile victimization or overall crime.

Another factor is that on empty streets there are no witnesses. Urban activist Jane Jacobs theorized that well-populated streets are safe streets; deserted streets invite crime.

A study published in 2015 tested the effect of Washington D.C.'s juvenile curfew on gun violence. Using ShotSpotter audio sensor data, the authors found that gunfire incidents were significantly more frequent when the curfew was in effect. Curfews remove bystanders and witnesses from the streets, reducing their deterrent effects on street crime.

Many argue that continuing curfew laws in the name of juvenile crime reduction is draconian, in light of actual crime data showing juveniles crime rates are at all-time lows.

Juvenile Crime Rates Decline

Dr. Mike Males, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice, told TMP that juveniles commit crime at rates lower than adults in their 40s or 50s, so "ignoring the juvenile crime rates and continuing to enforce curfew laws makes absolutely no sense. Juveniles are not predisposed to commit crime, they don't have to be feared."

Though juvenile curfew laws have existed for more than 100 years, their use soared in the mid 1990s at the urging of the Clinton administration. The "tough-on-juvenile crime" stance was a product of Princeton Professor John DiIulio's "super-predator" theory, which purported to find "evidence that juveniles are doing homicidal violence in wolf packs" and warned that unless decisive action was taken, the next l0 years may "unleash an army of young male predatory street criminals who will make even the leaders of the Bloods and Crips...look tame by comparison."

DiIulio's article was published in November of 1995. The following January, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton advocated an organized effort to combat "gangs of kids," saying, "They are often the kinds of kids that are called 'super-predators' - no conscience, no empathy*.* We can talk about why they ended up that way, but first we have to bring them to heel."

The result of the "super-predator" hysteria was an abrupt shift in juvenile laws, light on rehabilitation and heavy on punishment, encouraging prosecutors to charge juveniles as adults and urging municipalities to enforce curfew laws.

It turned out the super-predator theory was terribly wrong. Juvenile crime in the late '80s and early '90s soared, fueled by the crack epidemic and, perhaps, the effects of lead poisoning on inner-city children. DiIulio had projected that short-term crime wave into the future, painting a crisis of apocalyptic proportions that never materialized.

DiIulio himself attempted to walk back his theory regarding the super-predator scare, explaining, "The super-predator idea was wrong. Once it was out there though, it was out there. There was no reeling it in."

Juvenile justice advocates and community groups have been working tirelessly to reverse "tough-on-juveniles" policies enacted in response to the super-predator theory. They have made some headway in reducing juvenile incarceration rates, with DiIulio himself signing an amicus brief in 2012, petitioning to end life sentences for juveniles.

The same can't be said for curfew laws. A Google search for "juvenile curfew law" produces scores of recent press releases and news articles on juvenile curfew law enforcement actions.

Males contends that police and politicians continue using curfew laws because "juveniles are a politically powerless population, so they are an easy group to target and blame for any crime concerns in an area."

Assistant Chief Gay says, "curfew was once a tool to address juvenile crime, but juvenile crime has gone down, a lot. I rather have my officers do something more productive with their time."

Morgan Craven is the director of the School-to-Prison Pipeline Project at Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote social and economic justice through the work of volunteer professionals. Craven says that curfew and truancy laws criminalize normal juvenile behavior, unnecessarily introducing youth into the criminal justice system. "In Austin, curfew and truancy laws were Class C misdemeanors, which were heard in adult court, where youth had no right to guaranteed counsel and were forced to pay fines and fees." Craven added that Austin Police Department curfew citation data showed that children of color were disproportionately targeted for violations.

Denver's curfew program, enacted in 1994, requires reports twice a year to the city council, detailing ethnicities of youth cited for curfew violations. A local television investigation found that the police department reported that white teens received the vast majority of citations, when in reality most curfew citations were served on Hispanic youth.

Denver Deputy Police Chief Matt Murray chalked it up to "human error" saying, "There are areas of town where more kids tend to hang out and in places that are more dangerous or more susceptible to crime, and they are more likely to get contacted...we are not targeting Hispanic kids."

Gay, the assistant chief, acknowledged that the curfew can lead to profiling. "It turns into giving the officers an ability to stop youth at night, check them out, seeing what they are up to, but that in itself causes friction. We want our officers to make stops based on suspicious activity or a crime, not just stopping [youth] by arbitrarily judging someone's age."

In a May 2018 report, Dr. Rod Brunson, dean of the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, found that police stops are applied highly unevenly, "consistently exposing youth of color to a wide range of harms." The report found that these discretionary encounters are initiated by police officers who are making "on-the-spot assessments of young people's proclivity for delinquency, prospects for rehabilitation, and overall moral character, ...with limited information, often falling back on racial and ethnic stereotypes."

Since the rescission of Austin's juvenile crime law, juvenile victimization has decreased by 12 percent, officials say. Though it may be too soon to draw conclusions, Gay says Austin's "youth aren't hiding from the police anymore, in places they weren't supposed to be. Now they can be in a public place and not fear the police, and maybe that makes everyone safer."
Ivonne Roman, a captain in the Newark (N.J.) Police Department, is a summer intern at The Marshall Project. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly classified what type of crime curfew violations fall under in Austin, Texas. They are Class C misdemeanors. The Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice was also incorrectly named. And the piece misidentified the group of people who commit crimes at higher rates than juveniles, according to Dr. Mike Males. It is adults in their 40s and 50s, not just men. The story has been updated to reflect these changes.

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Justice Lab is a column that examines the science, social science and technology of criminal justice It's a summer ritual in many American cities - declaring a juvenile curfew to keep troublemaking teenagers off the streets. This summer at least one city-Austin-has decided not to sound the alarm.

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Curfews Don't Reduce Crime, but Cities Still Enforce Them

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In Philadelphia, Chicago, and Maryland, local leaders and police are turning to curfews for teenagers. Researchers say that there is no evidence that curfews reduce crime.

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https://www.trinityhouse.co.za/news/the-curfew-why-is-it-important

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Senior Deputy Principal of Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge

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The Curfew: Why is it Important? | Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge

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The use of a curfew has ensured safety and control for “the people” and also those in authority. A curfew for children & young adults serves a similar purpose.

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Juvenile Curfews: Enforcement and Effectiveness

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A Closer Look at the City of Baltimore and its Revised Curfew Law

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https://www.momjunction.com/articles/teen-curfew-benefits-disadvantages-tips_00751760/

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Teen curfew refers to a set time to ensure that your teenage child comes back home, especially in the evening and night. Setting a reasonable time curfew for teenagers is crucial if your child loves attending parties or hanging out with friends after school.

While socialization is an essential aspect of a growing child's life, it is also essential that they are safe and get enough rest to face the next day. A curfew ensures your children get enough entertainment and come home safe at an appropriate time.

Many states have teen curfew laws that do not allow teenagers in a business establishment or public place after certain hours. They must be accompanied by their parents or have a genuine reason to be out during these hours, such as attending school for a rehearsal or returning from work.

Read on to know more about the benefits of curfews for teens, their advantages, disadvantages, and a few tips on setting them.

Why Should You Give Your Teen A Curfew?

Teenagers love spending time with their peers and obviously, when you apply curfew, they will reject it or become negative because this is the phase of freedom. While this is expected behavior from them, parents often worry about their safety and other priorities. Parents want their children to be home at a time when they can see them coming in.

Getting home too late might make the teen late for school the next day or make them miss some important appointment early in the day.

This is where teen curfew comes in. You have to set some rules regarding the time they have to come home and make them understand the importance of a curfew. A curfew ensures that your teen is safe at home and you have peace of mind.

Benefits Of Teen Curfews

Some teens might be against teen curfews and might see it as something their parents do to control them. However, there are some benefits to imposing teen curfews.

1. Ensures teen safety

Children, especially teenagers, are prone to crimes late at night. Teen curfews ensure that children and teenagers are in the safety of their homes. A study conducted on 54 US cities with 180,000 or more residents by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that curfew laws reduce youth arrests by 10% (1).

2. Increases teen responsibility

The next step of being a teenager is becoming an adult. You need to ensure that your teen's transition into adulthood is smooth by introducing teen curfews. A curfew helps your teens learn to be responsible about their time and the places they visit and prepares them to shoulder more responsibility as they grow.

3. Offers peace of mind to parents

A teen curfew not only protects your teens, but also offers the parents or guardians immense peace of mind. When your teenager is home at an appropriate time each evening, it helps you relax.

4. Provides structure

A teenager has plenty of commitments, including school and extracurricular activities for personal development. They need to have some structure in their lives to devote themselves entirely to other pursuits. Besides, teens tend to be impulsive and make hasty decisions that can hurt them in the long run. Teen curfews provide teens with structure and reinforce positive habits in their lives.

5. Gives your teen an excuse

If your teen is in an environment where they do not feel safe, a curfew gives them an excuse to get out of there without hurting anyone's feelings. Besides, your teen would prefer saying, "My parents have given me a curfew. I have to be home by 10," than saying, "I don't like it here, and so I am leaving."

6. Teaches time management

If you have asked your teen to be home by 11 pm, they need to manage their time so that they leave from the venue in time to reach home. Accordingly, they have to manage their other commitments around the deadline. This is important for teaching time management to teens.

Disadvantages Of Teen Curfews

While teen curfews have many benefits, there are quite a few disadvantages too. You might have to become stricter than you wish, which might lead to a strained atmosphere at home. Here are some main disadvantages of teen curfews.

1. Might make teens resent their parents' control

Some teenagers might view the curfew as a means by their parents to curb their freedom. In some cases, they might turn rebellious or seek ways to sneak out without their parents knowing about it. They might resent the control their parents have over them and try to look for ways to challenge authority.

2. May not prepare a teen for the real world

While we want to protect our children from the real world for as long as we can, it is necessary for them to have an idea about it. The earlier they know and face the real world, the better they can protect themselves against the unwanted elements in society. Setting strict curfews when they are teenagers and exposing them suddenly to the world once they turn adults could shock them.

Tips For Setting Teen Curfews

If you are unsure about setting a teen curfew that doesn't have your teenager up in arms against you, we have you covered. Here are some handy tips for setting a teen curfew.

1. Choose a reasonable time

While some parents prefer a set curfew time, consider setting flexible timings. For example, you could ask your teen to come home by 9 p.m. on weekdays and by 11 p.m. on weekends. Your decision must be based on various factors:

Their schedule for the next day.

The amount of structure they need.

The safety of your neighborhood or the venue's safety.

Their activities or company.

2. Talk to them about the law

If your state has a teen curfew law, find out all you can about it. Check for various aspects of the law, including the legal driving age or appearance in public without a valid reason or adult company. Discuss these points with your teenager to keep them informed, and ask them to follow the law to avoid trouble.

3. Ensure they get enough sleep

Teens between the ages of 14 and 17 require eight to ten hours of sleep (2). If your teen comes home late at night and has an early class the following day, they could be tired all day. Take this into account and ensure that they get the requisite amount of sleep every day.

4. State your expectations

When you tell your teenager about the curfew, make sure they are clear on the following points:

They should inform you of their whereabouts periodically.

They should call and inform you if they would be late and give you a valid reason.

They should know what the consequences will be if they break the curfew.

5. Take their input

You could discuss and agree on an appropriate curfew timing. If you include your teen in the decision-making, they are more likely to be compliant.

6. Change the curfew timings as they grow

As your teen grows up and shows maturity, you can set later curfew timings. This shows them that you trust them, and they will try harder to maintain their curfew timings and get back home on time. However, if your teen comes home late consistently, you need to talk to them about responsibility.

7. Discuss the consequences for missing curfews

You need to create some consequences for the times when your teen misses a curfew. This will teach them to be responsible with their time. For example, if they come home an hour late, they have to return home an hour early the next time they go out. You can decide the nature of the "punishment," and they need to know that their actions have consequences.

When you have a teenager at home, no two days are the same. You have to think on your feet on most days to keep up with them. Socializing for teenagers is an aspect you cannot overlook or deny. However, by setting a reasonable teen curfew, you ensure you are relaxed, and your teenager is safe. Such practices will pay off in the long run and make sure your teen grows into a well-balanced and responsible adult.

Making house rules and deadlines help children grow up in a structured environment. Most households thus make it a point to have a curfew for teens. A curfew for teenagers is a deadline by when they need to be back home. Since teenage is a period when children assert independence but are still not as mature as adults, making certain that they are back home in time will help ensure their safety. Further, leading a disciplined life aids children in their academic growth and their professional growth later in life.

Key Pointers

Setting curfew for teenagers will inculcate habits of responsibility and time management in them.

Some disadvantages are that they might resent you for controlling them and hinder their growth into the real world.

Some tips to keep in mind are to set a reasonable time, allow them to share their thoughts, adjust the timing as they grow, and let them know the consequences for not following it.

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

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Setting Curfew For Teenagers: Its Reasons, Tips & Benefits

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Teen curfew refers to a set time to ensure that your teenage child comes back home, especially in the evening and night. Setting a reasonable time curfew for teenagers is crucial if your child loves attending parties or hanging out with friends after school.

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https://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2005/jan/06/i-was-a-teenage-curfew-violator/

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January 6, 2005—For the third time the Jackson City Council is considering implementing a youth curfew law. The recent curfew, which expired in August, affected kids under 18 who were driving, walking, riding or otherwise present, unsupervised, in the streets of Jackson without an adult guardian bet…

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"Keep the fight going, be involved, hold adults, leaders, and the justice system accountable for their actions." As part of the Voices in Youth Rights series, this interview features Jarvus Turnley, a NYRA volunteer from Springfield, Tennessee. In addition to volunteering with NYRA, Jarvus works on the Robertson County Tennessee foster care review board, coaches...

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https://connectusfund.org/14-teenage-curfew-advantages-and-disadvantages

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A juvenile curfew law is a local ordinance that prohibits people of a specific age, usually teenagers, from being in public or in a business establish during certain hours of the day. Most communities that operate this policy restrict teens from being outside of their home between the hours of 11 PM and 6 AM unless they are with their parents, attending a school function, or have another authorized reason to be in violation of the policy - such as coming home from work.

The legislative intent behind the use of a teenage curfew is to maintain specific social order goals. By making it illegal for teens under the age of 18 to be out during this time, officials hope to prevent the number of crimes that involve juveniles from increasing, protect kids from potential predators, and maintain general peace during hours when people need to rest.

A teenage curfew is ineffective if it does not create a consequence for its violation. The actual punishments vary from each community, but they typically involve a fine, community service requirements, enrollment in an after-school program, restriction of a driver's license, and possible time in detention if there are repeat offenses. Some parents who are proven to knowingly allow their kids to violate these laws may experience a similar outcome.

List of the Pros of a Teenage Curfew

1. There are exceptions in place for teens who need to be out during the curfew.
Although there are some teenage curfew laws that do not provide any exceptions, most of them identify specific activities under which juveniles can be lawfully outside during a restricted time. The exceptions can vary based on the community, but they typically involve the following situations.

A parent or guardian is accompanying their teen after the curfew begins.

Teams who have employment in their community and come home after-hours are permitted to be outside if they carry proof of their job.

Attending a school event or a religious activity with verification is permitted under most laws.

Minors running an errand for their parents, guardians, or an authorized adult are sometimes exempted from these laws.

All emergency situations that may exist.

2. It provides an element of safety for the teens and their community.
Did you know that a child goes missing every 40 seconds on average in the United States? That means there are over 460,000 missing children each year, although there are about 1,500 kidnappings included in that data. About 300 kids each year are taken away from their homes in an incident that doesn't include a family abduction. The presence of teenage curfew laws works to prevent this issue from occurring, especially for girls between the ages of 12-17, because it stops predators from having easy access to them while on the street.

3. These laws work to teach teens about responsibility.
In almost 90% of the missing children cases that exist in the United States, abduction is not the issue. Some teens decide to run away from their home. Getting lost is a significant issue, even with GPS functions on a phone. Simple miscommunication is another leading cause of this problem. By having a teenage curfew law in place, a community works to create a specific time each night when families can get together to discuss what is happening in their family. Although these conversations don't guarantee that a teen might decide to start making choices on their own, it does give them a safe place to be while learning how to be responsible for their choices.

4. It offers peace of mind for the parents and guardians.
When a juvenile curfew is enforced consistently in a community, then the parents or guardians of that child can rest assured that there is a safe environment for them to access. With adult supervision becoming necessary with these laws at a restricted time for anyone under the age of 18, then it lessens the risk of having something terrible happen when response times may not be fast. Having a teen at home at night helps a family to feel relived because there is an assurance that nothing will happen without there being a chance to respond.

5. Teenage curfew laws help kids to understand boundaries.
All of us set boundaries in our lives in various ways. By restricting the time that a teen can come outside late at night, the juvenile curfew laws help to show why there are specific structures in place that keep all of us safe. It is a way to reinforce the boundaries that parents set in the home while fostering the independent spirit of teenagers as they work to discover who they are as a person. This advantage works well when there is active parental involvement in the teen's life, but a mentor can also help kids to see the benefits that are possible when you make a decision to follow the rules.

6. It helps to provide structure in a teen's life.
The biological changes that happen during a teen's life between the ages of 13-18 can cause them to become impulsive. They start to think about the short-term benefits of what they are doing instead of any potential long-term consequences. Even teens who earn high grades, work a job, and have their family as a top priority in their life can make potentially harmful decisions that could impact the rest of their lives. The presence of a juvenile curfew provides an extra level of structure so that a random situation which could leave an adverse effect has less of a chance to happen.

At the same time, a teenage curfew should offer teens a reward that goes beyond not getting into trouble as a way to be effective. When we praise kids for making positive choices, then it begins to reinforce the positive habits that they're trying to create in their life.

List of the Cons of a Teenage Curfew

1. Curfews have a negligible effect on crime in a community.
Information on teenage curfews that dates back to 1983 continues to show that the impact of this policy on our community has a negligible effect in the reduction of juvenile crime. Although most criminal activity occurs in the late afternoon when looking at teenage offenders, the structure of curfew laws only restricts the nighttime hours. Since the funding for enforcement typically comes from summer employment programs and other youth support mechanisms, it is not uncommon for the presence of a strictly-enforced curfew law to increase criminal activity from juvenile offenders.

The Campbell Collaboration examined over 7,000 studies on teenage curfews and synthesized a dozen of the most rigorous studies that were in that batch. Their report states that the presence of a curfew can actually increase the number of crimes that a community experiences from teenage offenders.

2. It encourages a system of autocratic, authoritarian parenting.
Research indicates that the authoritarian parenting style tends to be the least effective way to help children learn about who they are and how to function in society. By creating instructions which demand compliance where the only reward is that you don't get in trouble, families often find that the presence of a teenage curfew creates more rebellion then it does community safety awareness. When a teen gets in trouble for being out in the community after-hours even with a permitted excuse, the entire encounter undermines the benefits that this law is supposed to create it in the first place.

3. Teens become a scapegoat for everything wrong that happens in a community.
Even during the years of the late 1990s, when juvenile crime was at an all-time low in the United States, teams were often blamed for the violent incidents that occurred in a community. This perspective caused the use of curfews to increase, often in areas where there were no issues with juvenile offenders. That is often why this law does not have the intended effect on criminal activities in a community. It is restricting the access of teens when most of them are not outside doing anything against the law.

4. It invites law enforcement to target teens with their enforcement.
In addition to the failures of reducing juvenile crime, a teenage curfew law invites unfair enforcement because it allows police officers to target people based on their looks, race, or views on life. According to Youth Law News, children who do not have both of their parents are home or are a racial or cultural minority are over-represented in the curfew violation statistics. Since there is little research available to determine what role a teen's race plays in enforcement, there are perceived inequalities in many communities that can create division and undermine the effectiveness of the law.

5. The impact of a juvenile curfew is more about the needs of the parents or guardians.
Mayor Ted Green of Orange, NJ, told The Marshall Project in 2018 that the purpose of their curfew is safety. "With summer in full swing," he said in July, "we want to remind our young people and their guardians that our city has a long-standing juvenile curfew. Safety continues to be our number one priority, and preventive measures such as curfews are paramount during the months when school is out."

Councilman Glen Pruitt sponsored a curfew ordinance in Montgomery Alabama. "I really don't understand why there is so much disdain or confusion for a curfew," he said. "I have a son who is 16 and his rear-end is in the house at 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock."

The reality of many teenage curfews is that they act as another parent or guardian, giving the family tools to use if they feel like their teen is being "too rebellious." Although there are times when these laws can prevent victimization, it tends to be a tool that parents use more than police officers to create compliance.

6. It can create a false sense of security.
Even when a community has severe issues with juvenile delinquency during the overnight hours because of gang-related activity, poverty, or similar issues, a teenage curfew is not a cure-all for the problems that are happening in the community. It is necessary to solve the root cause of the behavior in the first place if you want to see things start to change. Kids join a gang for a specific set of reasons. Trying to counter the conditions of being poor through stealing is a commentary on the rest of society. We must look beyond the short-term decision to determine how a teen got to the place where they started breaking the law for a curfew to begin being effective.

7. Curfew laws don't prepare teens for how the real world operates.
When a community decides to impose a juvenile curfew on everyone, then it makes an assumption that every teen is a potential troublemaker. It also suggests that these kids don't have an awareness on how to care for themselves. The real world does have laws which demand compliance, but adults rarely find themselves restricted by a curfew situation unless there is an emergency situation happening. When teens must start making their own decisions in life without the protection of curfew rules, the responsibilities asked of them may become a shock to their system.

8. Could it be unconstitutional in the United States?
We have numerous laws which restrict behaviors to keep the general population safe, but they apply to everyone in that specific situation. Driving laws impact all drivers. Tax laws impact all income earners. Yet curfew laws typically target only teens and adolescents without holding adults responsible for their behavior during this time. By enacting consequences on people through assumption instead of fact, we are setting a dangerous precedent on what laws could target other demographics in the future.

The pros and cons of a teenage curfew all depend on what is happening in a community at any given moment. If there are high levels of juvenile crime during the overnight hours, then this law makes sense to implement. Since most communities see a peak in youth crime during the late afternoon during the transition between school and home or work, it makes more sense to implement after-school programs that reduce the amount of downtime that teens have. By taking this logical step, we can begin to move away from the unfounded fears of the 1990s.

Author Bio
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master's Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.

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14 Teenage Curfew Advantages and Disadvantages

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A juvenile curfew law is a local ordinance that prohibits people of a specific age, usually teenagers, from being in public or in a business establish during certain hours of the day.