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| Updated: 10/04/2011 7:23 am |
Published: 10/03/2011 11:04 pm |
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Little Rock Board of Directors postponed a vote to change the city’s juvenile curfew ordinance.
The change would create stiffer penalties for parents of children who violate curfew. It would also give the city manager power to declare an emergency curfew to crack down on crime and violence.
There would be no change to curfew hours. Right now children need to be off the street by 10pm on Sunday through Thursday, and by midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Parents and teens are skeptical whether steeper fines address the issue.
“I think if my son was 16 or 17, I would want to make sure he was abiding by my rules, so I don’t know if I agree parents would be fined $1,000. But I do think there should be tougher penalties for children that are out,” says Shannon Giger.
16-year-old Lexi Lewis doesn’t agree with the concept of a curfew. “If they’re not harming anyone else or doing something they shouldn’t be or that’s illegal, then I think its fine that they’re outside.
City Director Ken Richardson thinks alternatives to stricter curfew penalties should be explored.
“I don’t think we can have a cookie cutter approach when we’re talking about addressing the issues that lead to juvenile crime and crime in particular parts of our community.”
