"September 28, 2004 -- City streets could become an adults-only zone late at night if two Big Apple lawmakers have their way.
City Councilmen Dennis Gallagher (R-Queens) and James Oddo (R-S.I.) plan to introduce a bill today establishing a curfew prohibiting anyone under 18 from being in a public place without adult supervision between midnight and 6 a.m.

"When you think about things and you wonder what good can happen to a child alone on the streets of New York at 2 in the morning, no one's been able to give me a good answer on that," said Gallagher.

"I'd much rather see them at home, reading a book, sleeping or doing something constructive."

The measure authorizes cops to demand proof of age from people they suspect of violating the curfew.

Officers could then escort the violator home, detain him or her at a precinct to await pick-up by a parent, guardian or relative, or issue a summons.

The bill provides penalties of up to 25 hours of community service for a first offense and 50 hours for subsequent violations.

But it isn't just kids who can wind up in trouble.

Parents who knowingly let their kids break the curfew can be fined $75 for a first offense and $250 for additional slip-ups. "
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/31018.htm

Ok, I'll go out on a limb here. I don't know how well they can enforce this, but I think it may be a step in the right direction as to getting people to be responsible for their kids.

Turning the city that never sleeps into the city where only kids sleep.

I suppose atleast they allow kids to be on the street with adult supervision is a good thing, but parents should be able to sign something if their kid over 16 or something to let them walk the streets without an adult.

Do we need another unenforcable law when we could just educate parents more?

I think the cops have a tough enough time catching muggers, now they're wasting their time enforcing a stupid curfew. I can't wait to watch an episode of CSI: New York and their chasing down curfew violators.

Hey, now that the kids will be at home when their parents are sleeping, they won't have to pass out condoms in all the schools anymore!

jsk, you can't educate parents. You either care about your child or you don't.

This is a fine idea, except it just perpetuates a bad situation - the government raising everyone's children. If they want raise them, then they can buy their food and clothes too. Otherwise, leave it to the families (novel idea)

Government should not be raising other people's kids. Parents should be able to atleast sign something exempting them. Most of the bad parents who don't care about their kids would be too lazy to even do that.

Tsk...another precedent that citizens..parents..refuse or cannot take the responsibility of their own kids asking for laws to do it for them.

When I was a kid, my father and mother ruled the house..they respected me but they were stern. Whatever happened to parenting nowdays??

This law is pretty stupid. Lets have the NYPD out searching for kids breaking 'curfew', rather than having the police force do something constructive....for instance catching REAL criminals.

just watch, a new survey will be published that shows downloading in the NY area increased by 300% from midnite to 6am just after this was put into effect. So now, instead of being outside the house breaking the law, the kiddies will be at the computer. Sounds like government sanction to me!
ttmmm

Curfews! National ID Cards! Government-granted snooping of individual's e-mails and phone calls! God bless the the Fourth Riech.

I'm originally from Queens an I must say that these idiot lawmakers are obviously not from New York City. Alot of people there begin working at a young age and do not restrict their time to the average schedule of typical people. It is chock full of professionals who work or go to class at almost all hours. Hence, "The city that never sleeps.".

jsk, you can't educate parents. You either care about your child or you don't.

TheSherminator, When did you get so smart? You have kids, take care of them, be responsible for them, if you are working, find someone responsible to take care of them, your responsibility.

indieWarriors

I agree with you as well, my parents as well ruled the roost and we behaved. That was a great time when at least one parent could say home. It is a different world, where both parents may be forced to work out of the home, BUT, you still need to make plans for your kids health and safety. You still need to make rules and somehow have them enforced.

The (university) town I grew up in had a little bit of an underage (21) drinking problem, so they passed a lot of curfews, laws banning anyone underage from even going in the door of a bar, etc.

And the kids took all their money away from the local bars to throw house parties and drive an hour or so to get drunk, instead. I'm not sure how things stand at the moment, but a lot of bars and shops closed during the most punitive part of the fray.

Incidentally, most of the real difficulties (pregnancy, drug use..) used to happen after kids got out of school at three, and before parents got home at about six, so a curfew didn't do much. I don't know how that stands now, or in NYC, though.

Bars that thrive at catering to underage children should be closed down.

By the way, I was going to mention that I've known some 17 year olds that have better heads on their shoulders than some 30 year olds I've known...

Sometimes I think it's a shame we have to determine some things by age, rather than mentality

Hey Code, maybe Bush does have a good plan in mind for testing everyones brain... (yes, I see the fireworks going off in your head

So, a kid who goes to a concert, or a late movie may get busted, even though they are doing nothing wrong? What happened to innocent until proven guilty? I know they are minors, but this is asking for trouble. Yes, I know where mine is, she's not out on the streets, but like pepe says, there are 17-year-olds with more common sense than some so-called grownups. This is not only unenforceable, it's ridiculous.
The only good thing in the article is this:"I'd much rather see them at home, reading a book, sleeping or doing something constructive."
But you shouldn't discriminate on the basis of age, and there are legitimate reasons for kids to be out at night.

curfews are a violation of what the US represents...freedom. ahem, excuse me...used to represent. this is nothing more than more "ze papiers pleaze." what if the guy/gal is 18 and looks young. then he/she refuses to produce id...not a legal requirement to have id on you, then what? then they're gonna make a law requiring you to be registered withthe gov't. then next thing you know, their gonna take the doggy/kitty RF tags and start poking them into you. what then? i will continue with my stance. FUCK THE GOVERNMENT!!!

So wait,New York doesn't have a curfew?
The small town I live in does(One that begins at 10:30 I might add,and is rather bothersome when you can't sleep on a late summer night...at 3 A.M) and yet New York does not?

I see something wrong with this.

NYC must be the only town without some kind of curfew. Midnight is pretty lax... most towns have curfew around 10pm.

ALL curfews are unconstitutional and should be disregarded as such. YOUTH IS NOT A CRIME!!! but violating our freedoms of assembly and choice are! ok the choice part should be!

Just make the city martial law already. But it looks like America is stepping closer to martial law anyway.

ok to those who think that new york must be the "only town" without a curfew, consider this.... new york is most definetly NOT a "town", it is a CITY! there should be no curfew for kids in new york... new york is an amazing place with lots to do (music venues, etc) and kids should not be arrested for going out & having a little fun, a lot of which is completly legal