Are Teen Curfews a Good Idea?

January 30, 2023

Amid the upheaval of pandemic school closures, juvenile crime rose in some cities, especially places that kept schools closed longer. In response, a number of cities, such as Chicago and Philadelphia, have introduced or expanded teen curfews as a way to keep young people off the streets and reduce crime rates. In Memphis, Tennessee, officials are debating whether to require police enforcement of a teen curfew that’s been on the books for decades. But not everyone thinks that curfews help lower crime.

Two local leaders from Memphis—a city councilwoman and a minister—face off about whether teen curfews are worthwhile.

The United States has a long history of enacting laws to protect children. From the child labor laws of the 1930s to today, government has always taken an active role in monitoring the well-being, health, and safety of young people.

Curfew laws regulate the hours people under 18 can remain in a public place, typically with exceptions for young people with a parent or guardian, traveling for work, or exercising their First Amendment rights.

Though they’re often characterized negatively, curfew laws are in fact much like other child protection laws, such as truancy. Truancy laws require children ages 6 through 17 to attend school or face legal repercussions. Chronic absenteeism from school typically signals a student is struggling and possibly having challenges at home. Young people who don’t want to go home at night are often dealing with the same domestic issues.

Why then do so many people support truancy laws but not curfews? If children are legally required to be at school for certain hours of the day, it’s not unreasonable to also ask they be at home for certain hours of the day for their well-being and safety.

In addition to preventing crime, curfews keep teens safe from violence.

We often think of curfews as a crime prevention measure, but their purpose is just as much for the safety of teens. Young people who stay out too late are at an elevated risk of becoming victims of violent crime and deadly accidents. Curfews encourage them to stay home during times they might be in danger.

To be effective in the long term, curfew laws need to be complemented with investment in comprehensive and community-based youth programming, parks and neighborhoods, and education.

Right now in my community, too many young people are dying or are being exposed to life-defining trauma. I support curfews for teens because I truly believe it will save their lives and the lives of others—and, as a parent and elected official, that’s always my top priority.

—RHONDA LOGAN

City Councilwoman, Memphis, Tennessee

Teenage curfews are not the answer to solving our delinquency challenges. What our communities need is better access to educational opportunities and extracurricular activities. I’ve talked with many young people who have some type of experience in the criminal or juvenile justice systems. When I ask what they need to make better choices, none ever say, “A curfew would help.”

Curfews are more problematic than productive for several reasons. First, law enforcement won’t be able to enforce a curfew without engaging in profiling or stereotyping. It’s not the job of a police officer to engage with random citizens based upon suspicions that are not rooted in facts. In other words, officers don’t know how old someone is by looking at them. They would have to profile or stereotype someone based on appearance. That inevitably leads to unnecessary and unlawful contact with innocent people who police think might be breaking the curfew.

Curfew enforcement tends to take officers away from fighting more serious crime.

Secondly, most curfews are not set at the times when the majority of delinquent behavior and juvenile crimes are committed. For instance, in Tennessee, where I live, most juvenile crimes are committed between the hours of 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. This makes sense because it’s after-school hours, and many parents are preoccupied with work and other responsibilities and might not be able to effectively monitor their children. If a curfew is set for 10 p.m., for example, it won’t do much to curb criminal activity among young people.

Finally, curfew enforcement tends to take officers away from fighting more serious crimes. Many police departments already say their officers are overworked (and many are underpaid). If this is true, curfew enforcement could overburden police in ways that lead to burnout and misconduct.

Communities and government agencies must come up with more comprehensive and creative ways to respond to youth misconduct. Curfews simply are not the answer.

—REVEREND EARLE J. FISHER