Article: The Effects Of Curfew On Juvenile Criminal Activity

As many people would say “Nothing good happens after midnight” A municipal ordinance curfew is a time frame given by an authority like the government or sometimes parents to teenagers below 18 years of age, to be home before a certain time. They were intended to limit a minor’s time without supervision from an adult, and to keep them off the streets during late hours. This has become a very popular way to attempt to reduce juvenile crime and to keep teenagers out of trouble, although this has not necessarily worked. Some teenagers feel the need to break their curfews as a way to rebel and prove that they can do as they please or to gain a social status. Although, curfews are meant to keep teenagers out of trouble, their effectiveness has …show more content…
(Gius, 3). Teens still commit the crimes regardless if they have a curfew or not. The only difference is that they are more cautious not to get caught. The choice is theirs to make. The State of Colorado has a curfew enforced that indicates no one under the age of 17 is allowed to be out in public from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight to 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday unless they are with a parent or legal guardian. If a teenager has to run an errand or just wants to stay out late, they would risk getting ticketed by the police and this is just an inconvenience. Only because a child is out late it does not mean that they are bad kids or out there causing …show more content…
With this being said having a curfew for teenager will not combat the problem of teenage crime. Curfews might sound like a great idea to some communities, and they might see this as a way to diminish the crime rates as it sounds great when is put in paper. In fact when implemented it might not be as cost effective to the community, especially if the statistics show no decrease in violence or crimes being