Should Teens Have Curfews?

Some cities require minors to be home by a certain time each night. Should all cities adopt this policy?

April 2023

It’s Saturday night and you just left your friend’s birthday dinner. You check your phone and see that it’s 10:30. You have half an hour to get home before your city’s curfew goes into effect, so you bolt. If you miss curfew, you could be fined or even possibly arrested. Many cities, including Memphis, Philadelphia, and Chicago, already enforce curfews for unaccompanied minors. Proponents of these laws say that they help reduce crime and keep teens safe. But opponents of curfews say the laws are an infringement on teenagers’ civil liberties, and decisions about teens’ schedules should be made by their families. Should all cities have curfews for teens?

Yes

Yes, citywide curfews for unaccompanied minors can teach teens punctuality. Teens need to learn the value of arriving on time for activities, appointments, and jobs. Having a curfew helps teens plan ahead and respect boundaries. In addition, curfews can protect us. By setting curfews that are earlier than the time bars and clubs close, cities can help keep teen drivers safe during hours when drunk drivers are likely to be on the roads. Finally, curfews can promote harmony in families. Some parents may want their children to be home by a certain time but are unwilling or unable to impose curfews themselves. If curfews are mandatory, teens and parents won’t have to fight about them. Curfews don’t infringe on teens’ rights. They provide us with a layer of protection.

—Daniel Espinoza, Maryland

No

no, curfews are unreasonable and pointless. It’s important for cities to try to promote safety and reduce crime, but curfews are not the answer. In fact, tougher curfews could have negative effects. They might prompt kids to find more dangerous ways to stay out late. It should be up to families to set boundaries for teens. If a family creates an open, trusting environment where parents or guardians explain why rules are necessary, teens will be more likely to follow them. Additionally, there are better ways of ensuring teens’ safety than relying on citywide curfews. For example, when I go out I use my phone to share my location with my parents, and I don't drive after dark. Since there are many ways to keep teens safe, curfews are punitive rather than helpful or necessary.