NCJ Number
197340
Date Published
November 1997
Length
40 pages
Annotation
This report reviews the structure and purpose of juvenile curfew ordinances and provides a brief overview of legal questions concerning juvenile curfews.
Abstract
This report describes the juvenile curfew in effect in Washington State and summarizes findings from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy 1996, and May through September 1997, surveys. The latter survey, an update of the first, is the focus of this report. It describes the curfew ordinances and responses from survey participants regarding the number of citations issued for curfew violations, the impact on juvenile violence and runaways, and the level of community support and participation. Also provided is the effect of legal challenges on the cities' juvenile curfew ordinance. Specifically, the section providing an overview of juvenile curfews/parental responsibility discusses the general structure and rationale of such an ordinance and covers constitutional questions and specific court challenges to curfews. A survey of Washington cities summarizes results of the survey of juvenile curfew/parental responsibility ordinances in Washington State. Appendices contain the list of study-participant cities in Washington with juvenile curfews; tables that provide a brief description of each city's curfew or parental responsibility ordinance and a list of survey responses regarding the number of citations, impact on juvenile violence, public support, and constitutional challenges; and the survey instrument.