Why Do Curfew Laws Keep Teens Out Of Trouble

Curfews are laws that set a specific time for a minor to be home during the night time. Curfews were put into action in the late 1800s. Although many cities had these curfews the law was not enforced until the 1990s. These laws were to make sure juvenile victimization and juvenile crime rates would not rise. The big question throughout the entire public is whether these curfew laws really keep teens out of trouble or not. The answer to this is no. All over the country curfew laws are enforced on teens and minors. There are hundreds of different types of these laws but many teens do not listen to them. They still do what they want or they will sneak out with their friends past curfew to do what they want. Many people also believe that curfews keep teen crime rates down and keep them out of trouble. This is actually incorrect, “sociologist Michael Males found that juvenile arrests for non-curfew crimes increased 53 percent during the school months when the town's curfew was enforced. In July and August, when the curfew was not enforced, non-curfew youth crime went down

Although many teens want to believe that they are stupid or do not keep them out of trouble, sometimes they actually help some. A lot of these young kids are in the early stages of becoming adults and they still need guidance from their parents or guardians. Studies show that if more teens have a routine from when they wake up, go to school, and when they go to sleep; they are less likely to get into any sort of trouble. Curfews would also allow more kids to spend time with their parents and family and have a better relationship with them. “Curfews do not restrict children’s rights to participate in activities; they actually support their right to a safe home and neighborhood environment” (Enzinearticles). This is a perfect example of how a set time for teams to be home could allow for an overall greatness in the