Arguments Against Teen Curfew

Curfews for teenagers do not influence their behaviors in a positive way or affect them at all. In the last couple months there has been particular controversy on this topic. On WHAS evening news the producers start the program with an announcer stating the time (10 pm) and questioning if parents are aware of where their children are (Should Teens). This serves as a reminder to parents to confirm they are conscious of the whereabouts of their children to ensure they are safe. Currently, there have been an abundance of people contributing to this argument, just earlier this week, 51% were supportive of teens having curfews and 49% were against it; however, as of today, November 13, 2015, a distinct 30% support curfews and 70% are against teens having curfews (Should Teenagers). Teens having curfews does not restrain them

from getting in trouble.

Having a curfew does not necessarily keep teenagers out of trouble. A study has shown that when teenagers are under curfew crime rates decrease by six percent in the night, but increase thirteen percent in the day in Detroit. Eighty percent of juvenile crimes are committed between the hours of nine in the morning and ten at night, which is outside curfew hours. Not all teenagers follow their curfew as well. According to Autumn Gray, a staff reporter for Inflight, she found out from shoutoutnews.org that in a study done with one-hundred students, an astoundingly seventy-three percent of the students admitted to sneaking out (Gray). A vast majority of teens admit to sneaking out after their parents are asleep and claim that a curfew does not prevent them from going out after curfew or bright and early in the morning (Should Teenagers). Although there are many teenagers that actually strive to abide by their curfew, they still manage to come home late sporadically. Sundry teenagers question why they have a curfew and believe that they are only bound by a curfew because their parents do not trust them and insist on treating them as if they were still a child. A numerous amount of teens confess that having a curfew actually influences them to be rebellious of the curfew and push the limits. In conclusion, having a curfew does not keep a teenager from sneaking out or from engaging in immoral activities.

Curfews do not restrict teenagers from doing the activities that they participate in.

Nearly all activities are flexible and can be altered to a different time without conflict. Providing teenagers with a set time limit on how long or late, they can be out of their home does not necessarily convey they will be obliged to cancel their plans, they would just be required to adjust the time. However, with teenagers being insurgent after having a curfew placed upon them, they will proceed to find a way around their curfew and participate in the activities they aspire to. Their parents’ viewpoints on their activities are ineffectual to nearly all teens so they forsake their parents' advice and become involved in them anyway. Nonetheless, there is a way to solve this, but not by imposing a curfew. If a parent genuinely desires to detain their teen from trouble they can talk to them and request that they modify the activities they participate in if the parents view it as an inappropriate idea or potentially leading their child down the wrong path. In conclusion, providing a teenager with a curfew will not detain them from doing the activities they

desire.

Although curfews are ineffectual for an abundance of teens, they are also convenient. Enforcing a curfew for a teen may safeguard them from a variety of dangers that are present in this world. According to RAINN - Rape Abuse & Incest National Network - forty-three percent occur from the hours of six pm to midnight in addition to twenty-four percent occurring between midnight and six am (The Offenders). However, that is not the only danger a teenager may encounter late into the night. In the United States an abduction transpires approximately every forty seconds (Love). A preponderance of abductions arises approximately a quarter-mile distance from the victim’s house, in addition to a distinct thirty-two percent occurring on a street or in a car (Love). Nevertheless, there are precautions teens can take in order to fend off those atrocious crimes. Teenagers can travel in a group of two or more people they trust to decrease the chances of being raped or abducted (Anne). The teens can educate themselves regarding the safe-places near them and memorize the routes to get there, have a code word to inform their other friends that they need to get out of a situation immediately, and always have an excuse ready to utilize to get themselves out of their sticky situation (Safety Planning). Further precautions to take are: do not offer or accept rides to or from strangers, stay away from things that make them vulnerable, and avoid areas they are not familiar with (Anne).

In conclusion, enforcing a curfew on teenagers will be ineffectual. Teens will still go out when their parents advise them not to, will continue to sneak out if necessary, and will not modify their activities just to abide by a new rule. If parents place a curfew upon their teens, they may notice an increase in the amount of arguments with them, their relationship may become strained, or their teens may become more defiant. Nonetheless, if parents do enforce a curfew they could possibly be preventing their teen from encountering a horrific crime and may possibly assist them in focusing on their school work when they have additional free time.