A curfew for children under the age of 15yrs

[Ripeberry]

A friend remembers that in the 1970's there was a curfew for children under the age 10 yrs old in Switzerland, No child was allowed out by themselves after 9pm at night.

Why can't we do this kind of thing in this country? If any kid is found outside by themselves after 10pm will be taken to their parents and the parents get a fine.

Would sort out youths hanging around all night

[squeakytoy]

I am assuming that all of you who think this is such a preposterous outrage do not live in areas where gangs of teens hanging around are a problem.

I do.

My friend has recently had the whole of her gable end graffiti'ed.

We have a park near us, no longer safe for kids to play on, or dogs to be walked on, as the teens hang around there in the dark, drinking and smashing their alcopop bottles on the grass.

Our sainsburys car park has gangs of kids hanging around it till midnight, fighting, arguing with the security guards who ask them to move on, harassing shoppers for cigarettes and to go in and buy them drink.

A pensioner friend was recently taunted and followed all the way home from a church meeting.. the poor woman was absolutely terrified. The culprits... teenage girls aged about 14.



An afterdark curfew unless accompanied by an adult for under16's would be a bloody good idea.

[maristella]

I think that school age children should have restrictions, they usually do thanks to their parents, but often they don't.

I would like to see a curfew, not to demonise or criminalise children, but to protect them. To protect them from being out, late and when they are vulnerable.

Up until a couple of years ago I lived in an area in which kids would roam the streets, they would be out at all hours :( and the younger ones would be out with those who were also out late. It was far from ideal, and I wished then that there was a law to enforce their parents to have their children safe at home, or to do their very best to achieve this.

You should see these children now, it's bloody sad. A curfew would not have changed the fundamentals within the family home, but may have limited the exposure to negatives outside the home at hours at which they were more vulnerable, and would have put more onus on the parents to do their fecking job as parents. There were also a few incidents in which the children roaming about were in some danger; the risks would have been reduced if the children were only out at sociable hours with more people about.

Contraversial, maybe. But my opinion relates to my experiences.

[ChunkyPickle]

How would you verify they're under sixteen? I don't carry id around, I certainly never did as a child.

Sorry, it smacks rather too much of 'papers please', and that's not OK just because they're children.

If there's a problem with gangs in your area, then it's a problem with those specific children, not all under 16s.

[JockTamsonsBairns]

"I am assuming that all of you who think this is such a preposterous outrage do not live in areas where gangs of teens hanging around are a problem."

Sorry, you assume wrongly. It's simply a ridiculously half-baked idea with so many loopholes it's laughable.

OP - do feel free to come back and comment on your thread, and attempt to answer some of the questions which have been posed. Otherwise, kindly refrain from posting shite like this then running. Thanks.

[squeakytoy]

Chunky, there are plenty of teens who are not behaving badly, but get caught up in trouble, and end up hurt because of it. A curfew would also protect them and be for their own safety.

[pubquizhurtmybrain]

A few years ago I briefly lived in quite an undesirable area and can totally sympathise with stories of harrassment from youths.

Although never directly affected myself I witnessed night after night of fighting, smashing bottles, taking drugs, all outside peoples front gardens. Then they would disappear up the side of peoples houses or down driveways to either urinate or sometimes have sex

They were loud, angry and rude. The age range of these groups was approx 11-22, I know this because the elder ones were only a year or so younger than me!

The police brought in trial curfew scheme in which anyone, whatever their age that was seen to be just 'hanging around' was swiftly moved on, or escorted home. This seemed to work.

It is easy to look at this as a ridiculous idea if you've never been in that situation but it can be terrifying when 5-15 youngsters are shouting and swearing outside your gate, fighting on your front lawn when you have 4 month old baby asleep in the house

Sorry this is so long!

[lovesicecream]

I used to live in an area where teenagers caused all sorts of trouble, fighting drinking setting fire to stuff ( one boy accidentally set fire to himself) even so seems abit harsh to put a curfew on them all! Much better if the police were to deal with the trouble causes

[GypsyMoth]

My 2 TEENS ( gorgeous TEENS they are too) don't finish army cadets til half nine, then walk home together

As a lone parent I will have younger children in bed so can't leave the house to collect

so you want to FINE me because they are still out?!?

[Sirzy]

I hate the assumption of people like the op that young people out at night are automatically up to no good.

To anyone who thinks this is a good idea how would you like to be given a curfew for no reason that your age?

[exoticfruits]

Why do people always want to offload parental responsibility on to the state? Your DCs -your responsibility.
I really don't know how you police it. As ILoveTIFFANY says-what about the perfectly lovely ones who are minding their own business walking home from a meeting-or similar. The can be still doing football practice after 9pm, even in winter with flood lights. It seems to be demonising all youth because of the anti social element.

[exoticfruits]

It would be as usual; the law abiding, conscientious ones would be adversely affected while the the ones causing the problems would continually break it.

[TimeWasting]

If the police aren't capable of dealing with the actual crimes here, harrassment, vandalism etc. why trust they would fairly and effectively enforce a curfew anyway?

It's a lazy response to a complex problem and wouldn't achieve anything in the long run.
Forcing children to stay inside the destructive home environment is going to make them more fucked-up.

[LineRunner]

This would require all young people to carry ID cards.

Mental.

[TiaMariaandDietCoke]

While I understand the sentiment behind the suggestion (and the reasons its been tried elsewhere) I find it really sad - yes there are young people out on the streets far later than they should be, in unsafe places and doing unsafe things - yes, society, as well as the parents, should do something to address the problem - but a blanket curfew on all under 15's?

Nevermind the time wasted with police checking id the kids don't have in the first place to verify their age, and then ferrying them home if they're deemed too young - what about young people who are doing no harm?

Can a 14 year old nip to the corner shop at 9.30pm because mum's run out of milk for the morning? On a summer evening can't they play out on the street? There were about 6 kids all under 15 playing football outside our house until about 10.30pm last night - they were doing no harm and are some of the nicest kids you'll ever hope to meet. There's also a mindnight soccer scheme run in the town once a week for that age group - the youth clubs open until well after 9pm and (having visited them for work reasons) they are doing some excellent educational and training work that really benefits the young people long term.

I guess what I'm saying is that not all kids on the streets at night are up to no good, and not all are the kids of irresponsible parents - thats why blankets policies like a curfew generally aren't supported for long

[TiaMariaandDietCoke]

that should be midnight soccer - sorry!

[nomoreheels]

We have the exact same problems with local youths as Squeakytoy mentioned. It's bloody awful & I've been shocked at how some kids have had zero respect for authority - laughing at police, coming back & doing the same crimes they were just busted for. If you lived with full on anti-social behaviour as a regular problem then a curfew might seem like the best thing ever. I'm not sure it would work but life round here would be so much better if they weren't hanging around.

We have a flash youth centre opening here in January. I hope it will reduce some of the problems as it's high time there was somewhere for kids to go round here. But sadly, I don't think the kids who prefer to hang out in our park with their staffies, Stella & spliff, fighting & destroying things, will be making use of it.

[GypsyMoth]

so none of those are over 15 then nomoreheels??

[Chandon]

OP, I was thinking this after I saw the BBC programme last night, about the gang of youths who hung around making it impossible for a normal family and their children to sleep.

When a dad came out and asked politely to keep a bit quiet so kids could sleep, they threatened to rape his kids next time they saw them.

The kids weren't hanging around by their own houses, oh no, they went somewhere else. Poor poor people having to put up with this!

And those gangs, with their violence and intimidation. Thank God I don't live on one of those estates. Some "kids" are scary.

[Ripeberry]

Chandon, that's the reason I started this thread, seeing those kids doing whatever they like and knowing their 'rights' to use this against innocent people and even the police trying to do their jobs.
Just think it's weird that we think it's the end of the world if a kid walks by themselves in the woods or is left at home, but for some reason its Ok for them to be out late at night?

[HHLimbo]

Or, why not just lock up all children from birth?

OP YAB Sooo U!

You have not thought this through properly. Think, Ripeberry, Think!

[HHLimbo]

If anyone is commiting violence or vandalism, that is the time to call the police.

Not just because someone is outside

[nomoreheels]

They were a mix of ages, obviously. But plenty look 15 or under. & they are definitely up to no good.

Police are already often very slow to respond to asb unless it progresses to criminal damage etc (& even then they didn't turn up in time to catch the kids who hotwired & destroyed our car as we watched helplessly from the window) so a curfew would be impossible to enforce without real resources. And even if there was one I would think it should be at the police's discretion, eg if they see evidence of asb or think a young person is at risk.

[TimeWasting]

Enforcing a curfew would mean less resources targetting the actual criminal behaviour. Lose-lose.