Teens and Curfews

[Cobra]

This seems strange to me, the DC police are reacting to a string of violent crime by enacting a stricter teen curfew. Are teenagers responsible for the murders in DC? if so, will the threat of being out after curfew really deter their murderous motives? This curfew is way to restrictive IMO, there are better ways to reduce crime.

I also think juvenile curfews are wrong, that responsibility should lie with parents and they should be the ones that get to decide how late their teenagers can be out at night. I also believe they're bad because they stereotype all teenagers as criminals who can't be trusted after say ten pm. Thoughts?

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US capital will introduce a 10:00 pm curfew for teenagers and deploy more police officers following a crime wave that saw 15 murders at the start of the month, Washington Mayor Anthony Williams said.

Washington DC's crime wave included the murder of a young British national, who was slashed to death in the throat on July 9 in the upscale tourist district of Georgetown.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060721/pl_af...on_060721204359

[lily]

Cobra........I'd like to reply, but it's subscription only. I'd google, but then I don't know if I'd be reading the same slant, if another journalist wrote the article.

[Cobra]

Try this link, same story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060721/pl_afp/uscrimewashington_060721204359

[lily]

I'm going to assume this article is also pertaining to what you posted, since it is the same day, the same city and they are quoting the same people

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004383698

July 31, 2006 7:52 a.m. EST


Nidhi Sharma - All Headline News Staff Writer
Washington D.C. (AHN) - In a bid to control sudden rise in juvenile arrests, city officials have imposed an early hour curfew in the nation's capital.
Most juveniles could be taken into police custody if they are found on the
streets breaking the curfew beginning after 10 p.m. on Monday.

Anthony A. Williams told Seattle Pi news, "Too often, young people are
becoming involved in violent crimes. This earlier curfew hour is necessary
in order to protect them from becoming victims of crime or from becoming
involved in crimes at night."
Police statistics show that during the last week of June, 44 juveniles were
arrested for serious crimes in the city and the number nearly doubled to 82
during the week ending July 22.
Earlier the curfew was announced by D.C. Council on July 21 but the city's
legislative leaders amended Williams' curfew proposal to require five days
advanced notice to members of the city's Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
before enforcement.

It applies to those 16 years old and younger between the hours of 10 p.m.
and 6 a.m., replacing an extended weekday summer curfew of midnight which
has been in place for several years.

However, the Mayor said the earlier curfew will be in place through Aug. 30,
but he has the authority to extend it. He cited Cleveland, Philadelphia,
Denver and Santa Barbara, Calif., as cities where curfews are being used to
encourage parents to take responsibility for their children's whereabouts.

However, young people accompanied by adults or parents will still be allowed
on the streets during curfew hours. Other exceptions include traveling on
interstate highways through the city or between work and home. Young people
are also allowed to be on the sidewalks in front of their own homes.

The parents who allow their child to violate the curfew law are subject to a
fine of up to $500 or community service

It applies to those 16 years old and younger between the hours of 10 p.m.
and 6 a.m.,

Call me old fashioned, but I don't think any child 16 or younger has any reason to be running the streets..let alone in a busy city. It gives the exceptions of with a parent or guardian, traveling to and from work or the sidewalks of their own home.

Curfews do work. Remember the burning of Detroit, on Devils Night? The jails were full of teens, being held until their parents got there the first year it went into effect. Second year, half full.......now if there is 10 kids, it's unusual.

This curfew is not only for the protection of the city, but the protection of the teens.

Now...........you're opinion that it should be the parent's right to give curfews is a valid one.......but I have to say, it's the parents who don't know or care where their kids are, that are running the streets.

[Labrocca]

I agree with curfews for minors. While it is the duty of parents to know where their children are...that's not reality. You have a LOT of bad parents out there and they have bad kids. Parents also THINK that joey is over at Mikes but in reality they are out drinking or smoking and creating havoc.


I think the law is just...it also penalizes the parents.

[Cobra]

I think the law is just.
Laws that punish all teens for the actions of a few are not just IMO.

It's kinda like saying blacks or whatever group commits more crimes so they should lose some of their rights and have stricter laws than the rest of society.

[Labrocca]

Do do you think seatbelt laws are unjust? How about laws against littering? How about laws to prevent spam? All those are laws created because a few people commit the crime but everyone is effected in some form. Teenagers shouldn't be out on the streets. Your profile says you are 16. You may think differently if you weren't.

[Cobra]

Do do you think seatbelt laws are unjust?
Yep
All those are laws created because a few people commit the crime but everyone is effected in some form.Â*Â*
That is true but those laws affect everyone equally, it is illegal for both teen, adults and everyone else to break those laws. With Juvenile curfews the laws do not apply to everyone equally, the law is discriminatory because it says being out after ten is illegal for some people but okay for others and that is wrong.
Teenagers shouldn't be out on the streets.
Why not, if I want to go to a nine o clock movie with some friends that will keep me out after ten, why shouldn't I be able to. Being a teen does not mean I will suddenly commit serious crimes because it's after ten.

[Mayberry]

curfews are being used to
encourage parents to take responsibility for their children's whereabouts.
That in it's self is the heart of the problem. If parents need some curfew law to take responsibility for their children's whereabouts, then these people aren't fit to be parents. Throw the kids, and the parents in jail, if they have committed a real crime, and fine them an amount equal to the cost of their arrest and confinement, plus court costs, and restitution to any property owners that may be involved. Curfews are just one more government encroachment by "big brother" to "protect us from ourselves" which equals removing personal responsibility for one's actions. Do do you think seatbelt laws are unjust? Yes. I am a grown adult, and I'm able to make my own informed decisions. I'm not going to put on a seatbelt to drive 3 blocks to the corner store in a 30 MPH zone. I will wear my seatbelt when going 70 mph on the freeway with the idiot drivers on the road. Seatbelt laws are just another way for the government to bilk tax payers out of more of their hard earned cash without having to do any actual work.

[PittsburghAfterDark]

If you actually think the majority of teenagers in DC come from dual parent households or, hell, homes where parents give a flip about their kids?Â*Â*Yeah, bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

Parents aren't going to reign this in.Â*Â*I'd love to say they are, but they aren't.

The government has to do something.

Isn't it amazing how well Washington D.C. works after 60 years of one party Democratic rule?

[Labrocca]

lol...DC makes me laugh. Who else would re-elect a crackhead for their mayor?

[Nathan Brazil]

Do do you think seatbelt laws are unjust?Â*Â*How about laws against littering?Â*Â*How about laws to prevent spam?Â*Â*All those are laws created because a few people commit the crime but everyone is effected in some form.Â*Â*Teenagers shouldn't be out on the streets.Â*Â*Your profile says you are 16. You may think differently if you weren't.Â*Â*


Seatbelt laws ARE unjust.Â*Â*It's a real "my body, my choice" situation, unike the fake one the abortionists invented.

Littering violates the property of others, and hence laws punishing the act are legitimate.

Spam?Â*Â*That depends on if the spam is part of a mass mail campaign to sell legitimate products or part of a scam to defraud people.Â*Â*Since I can't trust the government to tell the difference, I wouldn't trust government to violate the first amendment freedoms of the legitimate mailers.Â*Â*At present I have 3141 unread messages in my bulk mail folder.Â*Â*It'll be such an effort to click on the [empty] button when it hits 10,000, which will take about a month.

Worried about real spam?Â*Â*Get the Congress to ban junk snail mail.Â*Â*

A curfew denies people their freedom without even the accusation of a crime, but simply on the basis of age, race, or whatever other discriminatory razor is applied.Â*Â*It's wrong to do this.Â*Â*If DC has a problem with gangs committing crimes at night, they need to improve their police force to deal with that problem.Â*Â*

Would it be acceptable for DC to say that since most of the murders committed in the city are committed by black gangsters that the city will institute a curfew on black males?

Being outside should not be a crime.

The article reveals two things:

The goal of the curfew is to reduce teen arrests.Â*Â*That can be done by sending the cops home when the sun goes down.Â*Â*The article did not say that the goal was to reduce crime.

And...each curfewed teen will cost the parent five hundred bucks....this is DC, that's the principle reason for the curfew.

Frankly, if they're not in a declared state of emergency, like when the natives of LA rioted at the instigation of their mayor, overloading police resources to the point of complete breakdown,Â*Â*there's no good reason for a curfew.

What enforcing a curfew on young teens will do is teach them the good liberal lesson that people can indeed be treated like cattle if you can invent a good excuse, and that all people should be treated as guilty without trial.