Report on Teenagers and Curfews

Introduction of Teenagers and Curfews

In general, curfew laws limit or prohibit the right of an individual to be in the public and these laws have the objective of maintaining a specific level of safety and order in public spaces. Most of the curfew laws apply only to delinquents and juveniles under eighteen. Meanwhile, other laws associated with a curfew are enacted temporary in response to a civil disturbance or natural disaster such as with the application of martial law. Even though curfew laws are intended to keep teenagers safe, there are still differing views about it. For instance, although government officials believe it to have the aim of keeping teenagers safe, teenagers have a different perception about it (Williams).

Research Question of Teenagers and Curfews

In this paper, the following research question will be answered:

·         Do curfews keep teenagers out of trouble?

·         What are the views of teenagers about curfews and their safety?

Research Objectives of Teenagers and Curfews

In this paper, following are the research objectives will be to:

·         Explore the concept of curfew laws.

·         Determine the perceptions of teenagers about curfew laws.

·         Answer the research question given in this paper.

·         Offer recommendations to resolve the issue at hand.

Curfews and Teenagers

            There is a significant debate regarding whether curfews and laws related to them keep teenagers safe or not. As explained above, a curfew is actually a regulation or law which needs a group of people or an individual person to stay indoors for a specific amount of time, normally through the night. Usually, curfews apply to teenagers and they are intended to keep teenagers safe and sound. City regulations have different perceptions and guidelines on age groups and curfew times. For instance, a thirteen-year-old must be indoors earlier than seventeen years old. Normally, a curfew is set about eleven in the night but it can be set in the daytime. Considering the curfews, the rates of crime have decreased significantly.

            For instance, it has been indicated by research that curfews have played an important role in keeping teenagers in over a hundred cities of the US. A number of officials have claimed that curfews are enacted with the objective of decreasing crime rates and keeping teenagers safe. In accordance with them, the likelihood of committing crimes in the night is significantly higher in comparison to crime in the morning. That is the reason why most of the curfews are enforced in the night rather than in the morning.

 Mayors of several US states have explained that curfews have helped in reducing the crime in their cities. Another thing that is important to consider here is that, a significant increase has been recorded in open crimes which involve students and teenagers. This aspect has been considered important by many government officials who consider it right to enact curfews and laws related to them in cities. They believe that curfews help in not only keeping teenagers but other people safe as well. 

The rise in gun violence has been reported by Dr Jennifer Doleac of the Virginia University in the US during the enforcement of curfew in Washington. It has been stated by her that curfews are counterproductive for the safety of public. This perspective is chosen by her because decreasing the number of individuals in the city during crime hours actually serves to raise the probability of criminals committing crimes.  Therefore, this would encourage criminals to commit a crime during the recognized times of curfew (Hopkins).

It is, however, important to note here that the discussion is concerned with keeping teenagers out of trouble. Whenever curfews are enforced by parents within their families, the first boundary of defense is actually set up in the mind of a teenager. They are forced or pushed to recognize why they have to experience a curfew. It is generally because most of the issues and trouble occurring at night. Then, they consider the risks of staying outside past the curfew. They get to know that if they go out, there is a high possibility that something might happen to them. Thus, they begin to consider the risks and believe that it is better if they stay in the house.

From this point of view, it can be said that regardless of the fact whether curfews help in reducing the crime or not, they increase the likelihood of keeping teenagers safe and out of trouble. They cause the teenagers to stay in their house beyond a specific time limit, usually in the night. And since most of the trouble occurs in the night, it allows teenagers to be protected from it or not become the cause of this trouble.

However, it is important to consider the second perspective about this discussion as well before the research question can be answered. In accordance with an online platform where students can provide their feedback on issues related to them, the majority of students have indicated that they recognize the importance of safety but it doesn’t mean that curfews or their laws should be enacted. They have determined that curfews don’t have a significant impact on the rates of incidents or crimes. In addition to it, they can adversely influence the independence of a teenager (Ma).

Although it is usually believed that most of the delinquency occurs at night, there are some significant statistics that indicate only fifteen percent of crimes or juvenile crime occurs between ten in the night to six in the morning in the US. The majority of crimes take place when schools end and typically in curfew hours. Other than the ineffectiveness of curfew laws in eliminating crimes, this is quite unfair to students who behave in a decent manner. They have also indicated that if students want, they can easily find a way for evading the curfew and keep on doing what they like. With the enforcement of a curfew, parents are telling their children that there is no trust between them and their children don’t have the self-control for making good decisions. It is not difficult to understand that young people wish to be recognized as trustworthy and responsible.

In addition to it, setting hard deadline on which children should return home makes them think that they are not mature, and that parents can force them to take part in different activities which they dislike. From such a practice, neither parents nor teenagers gain anything from it. Setting up these kinds of restrictions on the lifestyle of a person can prevent them from gaining independence and limit their upbringing to only a greenhouse environment in which although they flourish, their growth is limited to only safe space.

It is important to understand that at some specific point, parents have to let their children practice freedom. It is because they need to make important decisions as it gives them a sense of responsibility. Children who have lived in a specific space will be unable to make a sensible decision when they have numerous choices as they will not be used to it. Without experiencing similar situations when teenagers are younger, they might not know what the best is for them. Typically, curfews are set up with decent and good intentions as they have the objective of keeping teenagers safe and out of trouble, and to ensure that society is safe.

However, it is important to understand that curfews are capable of having an adverse influence on the growth of a child. Gradual delegation and proper education of responsibilities must be utilized instead for nurturing decision-making in teenagers (Carr and Doleac).

Conclusion of Teenagers and Curfews

            Overall, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that curfews are effective in keeping teenagers safe and out of trouble. Even though there is a significant debate on whether curfews are capable of keeping them safe and decreasing the crime, it is quite important to understand that the majority of people, governmental officials, and parents believe that curfews should be enacted for ensuring the safety of teenagers. And although there is not a significant amount of evidence concerning the depletion of crime due to curfews, one can still deduce that the implementation of curfews keep teenagers safe.

            For instance, they prohibit teenagers and students from being in the public at night. It makes them refrain from doing anything which is either harmful to them or to others. Thus, it can be said that curfews are effective in keeping teenagers safe and out of trouble. However, curfews are not viewed as effective by teenagers as they believe it limits their freedom and choice to make decisions. Regardless of the fact that curfews are not viewed in a positive manner by teenagers, they still keep them safe by limiting their freedom at night. It serves to keep them away from the crime which happens at night. Following are the recommendations which should be considered to make curfews more effective:

·         Those teenagers should be allowed to be outside who have a serious issue with proper evidence. For instance, if a person needs medicine then he should be let go.

·         Curfews should be enacted only in the states where the crime is high.

Works Cited of Teenagers and Curfews

Carr, Jillian B. and Jennifer L. Doleac. "Keep the kids inside? juvenile curfews and urban gun violence." Review of Economics and Statistics 100.4 (2018): 609-618.

Hopkins, Peter E. Young people, place and identity. Routledge, 2013.

Ma, Joanne. Face Off: Are curfews an effective way to keep teenagers safe and out of trouble? 2019. 2019. <https://yp.scmp.com/over-to-you/columns/article/113153/face-are-curfews-effective-way-keep-teenagers-safe-and-out>.

Williams, Allan F. "Teenagers’ licensing decisions and their views of licensing policies: a national survey." raffic injury prevention 12.4 (2011): 312-319.