CBS Baltimore – by Meghan McCorkell
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Cracking down on curfews. Baltimore City may soon impose a tough new curfew for teens. City leaders say they want to keep kids off the streets but opponents say the new restrictions may be unconstitutional.
In a preliminary vote, the city council approved a bill that could make Baltimore’s curfew laws among some of the strictest in the country.
Last February, dozens of teens tear through the 7-Eleven in upper Fells Point. Now city leaders are trying to stop behavior like this.
“We have to look for ways to support kids in need, vulnerable children. One way we identify those kids are the ones that are out unsupervised,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
The city council is considering expanding the curfew so children under the age of 14 would need to be home by 9 p.m. year round. Fourteen and 16-year-olds would have a curfew of 10 p.m. on weeknights during the school year and 11 p.m. on weekends. There would also be a daytime curfew during school hours.
But opponents say the curfew expansion bill is equivalent to putting the kids on house arrest, which could create more problems than it solves.
“If adopted, it would make Baltimore’s daytime and evening curfews one of the most extreme curfews in the country,” said Sonia Kumar, ACLU Maryland.
Kumar sent a letter to the council saying enforcement of the curfew expansion encourages unnecessary police stops for young people.
“I can’t look at you and say, `You’re over 14; you’re under 14; you’re 15.’ And moreover, I can’t look at you and know whether you are on your way home from school,” she said.
But Police Commissioner Anthony Batts says he believes it’s enforceable.
“I think it’s fairly easy to see the difference in a 14-year-old, 13-year-old, 12-year-old,” he said. “And if this keeps them safe, I think it’s a positive.”
The curfew expansion will be up for a final vote in June.
The mayor plans to open year round connection centers, providing resources for those who violate curfew.
Under the proposal, if a child is caught violating curfew, the family can attend counseling to have that citation wiped off their record. More than one citation could result in a hefty fine.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/05/12/baltimore-city-may-impose-new-curfew-for-teens/
Joke, I know a kid thats 17 and looks 25, could grow a beard at 15, and buy alcohol un carded at 16
so no not all kids can be profiled into an age group just looking at them..and is that really something you want your local thugs in blue doing to your kid?
the problem is..US parents cant properly discipline the shit out of Jr. anymore or we go to jail for abuse..the system brought this upon themselves. you used to be able to get your kids in order, now if you wack their lil behind you get a visit from CPS
I also dont see anywhere in our Constitution where you dont have rights at any age..so if they can take these kids rights away with this law, when do they take your rights away for the same argument
start dealing with the problem and stop making more laws to be broken
“Teens” and “youths” is a euphemism for Black kids.