What are your thoughts on curfew laws for teenagers?

I agree, for the reasons you stated. And there are obviously some adults that need curfews as well, but just because they’re adults they can get wasted and drive at 2 in the morning…...

Generally speaking and, mind you, my kids aren’t teenagers yet…I’d be thinking more about how they should be getting a decent amount of sleep per night so must be in by at least 11 pm once they are around 15 or so

Sounds like the job of the parents to me.

I typically do not like curfew laws for teens, but sometimes, in certain communities, I can understand it.

About driving from a bad situation, that is a specific matter where it is best to break the law. Drive to a safe place, even a police station. When a judge evaluates breaking a law, they must think about the spirit in which the law was created. If it was for safety, and breaking the law will make the person safer, then there is justification for breaking the law.

I don’t like the legislating of curfew. That said, I believe teenagers should be home and in bed by 11 P.M.

I don’t like curfew laws for age. I was a 16yr old f/t worker with my own car and a curfew would have impacted my ability to support my family back then.

@cprevite: I agree, I think curfews are something that should be governed and enforced by parents and parents alone.

@JLeslie: I’m thinking in terms of a teenager who can’t necessarily get somewhere safe, say, a teenager without her own car hears her drunk father start yelling. Instead of waiting for him to start throwing things and hitting members of the family, she leaves. She has no marks on her and it’s more than likely that her parents aren’t going to corroborate her story. She is probably going to get in trouble with the police if they find her before she decides to go home.

They seem very mediocre to me. Some adults act like they’re four, whilst many teenagers act like they’re in their thirties.

Curfew laws should be the decision of the parent or parents, care giver, etc… There are many reasons why a child whom is responsible be allowed out after curfew. If a child needs to flee to safety or simply does not feel safe, they should be allowed to reach safety by any means necessary. Curfews do not work and here is why they do not work…
They do not stop crime. They are unconstitutional. Any child caught after curfew by police will have a stressful impact in a negative manner against the child, especially if the child is not doing anything wrong not to mention that using force to detain children is wrong. There is time better spent by police looking after high crime areas.
What gives the government, local or federal the right to dispose of constitutional rights between certain hours of the day? What type of message does this send to our children?

teenagers commit the LEAST crime of any demographic group, except for the elderly! Not only that, but the majority of crimes that ARE committed by teens are committed between the hours of 2 PM and 8 PM. NOT in the middle of the night. Source: Related Link #1, “National Youth Rights Association – Curfew FAQ”

Curfews are a way of placing a grip in your home and replacing the duty of the parents and installing fear for the law that is to serve and protect us.
I disagree with curfew law and if my child is responsible enough to be trusted with friends and cares to go hangout in the park at 2am in the summer, then so be it.

@KatawaGrey I hope a teenager is not wandering around on foot in the pitch dark. I guess maybe they could go to a local coffee shop? Depends on the town of course. Or, maybe to a neighbor.

Again, generally I don’t like curfew laws. My curfew was 1:00am when I was 14 if I was out with my work friends on a weekend night. I think it was a good decision for my parents to allow it.

There is curfew on driver’s lerners permits in many states which limit new drivers to driving only in the daytime and only with another adult licensed driver in the car.

I believe the curfews are put into the law when the lawmakers decide they will help curb crime and protect the minor. If I didn’t agree with the law, I would work to change it.

In the situations you mentioned the minor would not be in them if they are home and in bed in the first place.
Why would a minor be hanging out with someone old enough to get drunk.
Curfew laws usually apply to unsupervised minors. If they are with an adult than it is an non issue.
Curfew laws are as @YARNLADY suggested.

@cprevite If parents did there jobs correctly than there would be no need for curfew laws.
My children grew up in a state that had curfew laws. I didn’t worry about them getting into trouble but it was nice to know that trouble couldn’t find them on the way home if they had to come home alone late because any minor out after 11 was always with an adult.
As an adult I also liked the idea that after 11 I would not encounter a group of kids looking for trouble either because most of them where home.
There will always be teens out to find trouble but if you find one out after 11 they were usally alone and not so brave when all alone.

@Pandora: Lots of people under the age of 21 drink alcohol. And there are lots of teenagers who hang out with people over the age of 21. Also, in the scenario I suggested about an abusive or generally dangerous situation, what do you propose the teen do then? If a teen’s home is the dangerous place, why would they just go up to bed?

I am in favor of curfews for teens.

There is no good reason for a teen-ager under 18 to be out on a school night after 11 without a parent or guardian. There is no good reason for them to be out after 12:30 in the morning on a weekend.

I live near Oakland. There are problems every weekend with kids out way past midnight who get in fights or get killed. The last police chief tried to get a curfew passed to reduce the gang killings, but got overruled by a city Council and Mayor that thought he was picking on kids.

There are a lot of references above to “the parents should set it.” But curfews are one way to control teens that aren’t being controlled at home. And the parents end up being held accountable for poor parenting when a kid gets picked up for curfew.

If the home is the dangerous place, a curfew that’s enforced will bring the problem to light when the child gets picked up by police.

I support the laws
there is also a law that says “there is no crime without evil intent” That means, if you are escaping danger, fleeing from rapist (as you stated) etc., you cannot be prosecuted for breaking the curfew.