Do Curfews Keep Teens Out Of Trouble

During the adolescent years teens are determining who they are and making choices that could potentially shape their futures. Some of those choices may include gang violence, sneaking out, vandalizing public property, and becoming victims of crime. Juvenile curfews could prevent all of those things from happening during the later hours of the night. Juvenile curfews keep teens out of trouble because they protect teens from becoming victims, strengthen parental control, and decrease juvenile crime rates. Juvenile curfews keep teens from falling victims to robbery, assault, and rape crimes. In many cases and reports, “index offenses such as homicide, rape, robbery, and assault decreased three to six percent during curfew hours” (Reynolds 206). Curfews are made for working on the …show more content…
Juvenile curfews do not keep teenagers out of trouble or decrease crime rates. “ One study shows that curfews do not match the time at which juvenile offenses are most prevalent” (McDowall). Juvenile crimes most happen on school days while school is in sessions. “There was also some evidence of “crime displacement”, that is, an observable increase in criminal activities during the afternoon when the curfew was not in effect” (Sutphen 58). If teens know they will be caught at night for committing crimes then they figure that committing them at different times decreases their chances of being caught by authority. “In four countries, curfews were associated with higher rates of both violent and property crimes” (Sutphen 59). “Another study shows that no crime decreased significantly as a result of juvenile curfews” (Reynolds 206). “Juvenile arrests were not affected significantly by the implementation of the curfews law” (Reynolds 213). Juvenile curfews are made to support the city's decision of controlling teenagers, but their are certain people who do not fear authority no matter what the consequences may be. Therefore, not all crime rates will