The opinions, viewpoints, and beliefs expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the opinions, viewpoints, or beliefs of the Titan Times newspaper, Tuscarora High School or Frederick County Public Schools.

Should We All Have A Curfew?

A curfew is described as a certain time to remain indoors, typically during night hours. Parents are mainly the enforcers for this action unless the authorities are involved. The teen party scene is still very much relevant in today’s society. With more advanced drugs, alcohol, and partying available, night time is much scarier for the parents. Therefore, curfews are set in place. The question to be answered is: do these curfews actually keep us out of trouble?

There is a large amount of teens still out every night. When asking five students from THS, three of them reported they “don’t really have a curfew”. Shown by the US Department of Justice, crime rates from teens drastically decline after 9pm. These violent crimes include assault, robbery, etc.. No matter if it is a school night or weekend, the results remain the same.  

For the teens who don’t get into any trouble, car crashes still occur. During the night hours, teens are three times more likely to be in fatal car accidents. After a school day, fatigue sets in. Friday nights can easily become dangerous after school and staying out all night. Most teen car accidents occur after 9pm. This is around the same time that crimes decline.

The question still stands: would these curfew keep us out of trouble? In my opinion, we don’t need curfews. A majority of students here at THS already don’t have a curfew. Results showed that crime declines after 9pm so there doesn’t seem a need for change. As long as the environment stays constant, teens should be able to stay out as late as they like.

References

Is it Safer to Drive During the Day. (n.d.). Retrieved June 5, 2019, from National Safety Council website: https://www.nsc.org/driveithome/teen-driver-risks/night-driving

Juvenile violent crime time of day. (n.d.). Retrieved June 5, 2019, from Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention website: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/offenders/qa03301.asp