Curfew for kids?

3 replies [Last post]
Kwan Booth's picture

Kwan Booth created Mon, 2 Nov at 11:58pm

Monday night, at the 1st of three planned community town halls, Mayor Dellums and new Police Chief Anthony Batts discussed the idea of introducing a curfew for young people who are on the streets after 10pm.  Batts says that rather than arrest young people, officers will take them down to the police station and call for their parents or guardians to pick them up.

Do you think this an effective strategy or, will this strain the already tense relationship between police and some young people? 

#1
maiki's picture

Tue, 2009-11-03 14:43

I don't really understand the point of a curfew. I haven't seen any statistics that point to lower crime or better living due to them. I have personal reasons for disliking curfews, as I was living on my own when I was sixteen, and it felt like I wasn't allowed to grow up.

At least they aren't arresting folks. I guess there is that.

Why does it always seem like law enforcement doesn't "get" youth? If they want to cut back violence, perhaps they should communicate more with the communities where it is happening, and work that angle. A curfew sounds like a really convenient policy that will satiate the most people, since ageism is relatively common in America.

#2
Anonymous's picture

Wed, 2009-11-04 08:03

I have to say, 10pm, on weeknights in particular, for people under 18, that doesn't really seem like too much to expect.

Batts also added a caveat to the proposed curfew, which applied when he implemented the same policy in Long Beach: Teens who were on their way from one place to another were exempt.  He apparently only enforced the policy if kids were loitering after 10.

#3
Anonymous's picture

Mon, 2009-12-07 09:25

I feel that the curfew should be enforced. This makes parents become fully responsible for their childrens actions. Take a look outside at night and tell me what you see besides crackheads.... You see young children running up and down the street. They are out here standing on the corners, smoking weed and drinking, popping pills and taking perscription cough syrup. Now tell me, you don't think Oakland needs a curfew?