curfew

 

[O.Fr.,=cover fire], originally a signal, such as the ringing of a bell, to damp the fire, extinguish all lights in the dwelling, and retire for the night. The custom originated as a precaution against fires and was common throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. The curfew has most recently been used in times of turbulence, such as revolution or civil disorders. It is a restrictive measure forcing all persons into their homes to reduce activity against the government or the occupying force. In some communities it has been applied to curb juvenile delinquency.

A curfew can be one of the following:

1. An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time. It can be imposed to maintain public order (such as those after the 2003 North America blackout and 2005 civil unrest in France), or suppress targeted groups (such as was enacted on Jewish people during the regime of Nazi Germany). Curfews have long been directed at certain groups in many cities or states, such as Japanese-American university students on the West Coast of the United States during World War II, African-Americans in many towns during the time of Jim Crow laws, or people younger than a certain age (usually within a few years either side of 18) in many towns of the United States since the 1980s; see below. Some jurisdictions have also introduced "daytime curfews" that would prevent high school-age youth from visiting public places during school hours or even during immediate after-school hours.
2. An order by the legal guardians of a minor to return home by a specific time, usually in the evening or night. This may apply daily, or is separate per occasion (especially concerning dating), or varies with the day of the week (earlier on a so-called school night, i.e., if the minor has to go to school the next day).
3. A daily requirement for guests to return to their hostel before a specified time, usually in the evening or night. Arriving later has the consequence of being locked out until the morning. It allows the hostel to dispense with a doorman during the night, and improves quietness at night.
4. In baseball, a time after which a game must end, or play be suspended. For example, in the American League the curfew rule for many years decreed that no inning could begin after 1 A.M. local time.
5. Many airports operate with rules that during certain times, the airport will be effectively closed, to facilitate noise restrictions in areas under the airports flight paths. Examples include LaGuardia Airport in New York City, and Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney, Australia. The practice is commonly known as an Operating Curfew, or Movement Restriction.

Youth curfews

Youth curfews are "orders" from the government preventing children or teenagers from being in public spaces after a certain time. While in theory curfews are supposed to prevent juvenile crime from happening, youth curfews remain a controversial topic.

Some teenagers, like some adults, engage in illegal activities at night time. Advocates of curfews believe that forbidding teens to be out late at night will reduce teenage crime as well as prevent others from being victims. While proponents of curfews feel this may be unfair to well-behaved teens, they feel that this is outweighed by communities' responsibility to protect all of their citizens.

In addition to the obvious constitutional issues raised by youth curfews, opponents say that they are ineffective, as statistics show that most juvenile crimes occur between 3pm and 6pm (at the end of the school day), and many teenagers have little to do then but loiter. Some opponents of curfews believe that schools should increase investment in extracurricular activities to prevent loitering in the first place. Some also feel the implementation of curfew laws would cause an added burden on parents who may not be free all the time to take care and watch over their children.

Different jurisdictions

• United Kingdom: Zones had been created under the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act allowing police to hold and escort home unaccompanied under-16s after 9pm, whether badly behaved or not. Although hailed a success ^[1], The High Court ruled in one particular case that the law did not give the police a power of arrest, and officers could not force someone to come with them. The ruling is being appealed by The Home Office. ^[2]

• Denmark: The police in two cities Silkeborg and Slagelse has announced that they will detain and bring children below 15 years of ages to the police station and inform their parents to fetch them at the station if they are found in town between midnight and 5am. There is no law in Denmark to this day covering this area, so the children are not punished or warned in any way. However, Denmark has no separated juvenile penal system, so the danger caused by mixing adult and juvenile prisoners in the same cells should be warning enough to both the parents and the children ^[3][4]. The authorities in Aarhus has only suggested it and had sent a letter to the parents ^[5].

• United States of America: According to the federal board of directors, curfew is different for each and every state. These curfew laws, as of January 1,2007, are: ^{[citation needed]}

• • New York: Minors cannot be out on any roads, public places, or buildings past 1:00am between the days of Sunday and Thursday. Between Friday and Saturday, minors are allowed to stay out until 3:00am, with a grace period of 15 minutes. These times only apply between the seasons of Fall through Spring. Summer is as follows: Between the days of Sunday through Saturday, minors are allowed to stay out until 12:30am with no grace period. This change of event begins at 12:01am on the weekend following Father's Day (the following Sunday.)
  • Illinois Minors cannot be out on any roads, public places, or buildings past 11:00pm between the days of Sunday and Thursday. Between Friday and Saturday, minors are allowed to stay out until 12:00am. These times only apply between the seasons of Fall through Spring. Summer is as follows: Between the days of Sunday through Saturday, minors are allowed to stay out until 12:00am. This change of event begins at 12:01am on the weekend following Father's Day (the following Sunday.)
  • California: Minors cannot be out on any roads, public places, or buildings past 11:00pm between the days of Sunday and Thursday. Between Friday and Saturday, minors are allowed to stay out until 12:00am. These times only apply between the seasons of Fall through Spring. Summer is as follows: Between the days of Sunday through Saturday, minors are allowed to stay out until 12:30am. This change of event begins at 12:01 A.M on the weekend following Father's Day (the following Sunday.)
  • Michigan: Children under 16 cannot be out on any roads, public places, or buildings between 12:00 am and 5:00 am without a parent. This does not aplly if the child is traveling to school or work and provide proof of this.

• Germany: According to the federal Jugendschutzgesetz or Youth Protection Code, minors under the age of 14 are allowed to attend public festivities without their parents or legal guardians until 8 pm, youths 14 and older until 10 pm, and youths 16 and older until midnight. Youths between the ages of 16 and 18 are not allowed in Gaststätten (bars, restaurants, and the like) without a parent or legal guardian present between 12 am and 5 am. So-called "public dances" (essentially meaning dance clubs, discotheques etc.) are not to be attended without parental supervision by minors under the age of 16, and youths between 16 and 18 years of age are allowed to stay until 12 am without parents. An exception to these rules may be a letter of consent signed by a parent or legal guardian which will allow minors between the ages of 16 and 18 to attend beyond midnight, the same as adults 18 and older. Additionally, dance venue and bar/restaurant operators may and do establish policies not allowing minors under the age of 18 in altogether or not without a letter of parental consent.^[6]

See also

• Martial law

Notes

External links

• BBC Report on legal challenge to curfew laws

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