Hoping to quell a rise in youth crime, the D.C. police department has promised to rigidly enforce the summer curfew.
Under D.C. law, anyone under the age of 17 has to be indoors by 12:01 a.m. during the summer. The curfew takes effect for the summer Saturday. The rest of the year, children have to be indoors by 11:01 p.m. on weeknights and 12:01 a.m. on weekends. Already, the department has made more than 1,500 curfew arrests this year, police say. That’s an increase of 18 percent over last year.
Police Chief Charles Ramsey has said that he’s worried about an increase in youth crimes this year. Arrests for weapons charges have risen 35 percent and arrests for robbery 78 percent over last year, according to the department.
Citing these figures, Ramsey has also asked the District Council to require the courts and youth jails to disclose juvenile arrest records. Most juvenile arrest records are sealed, although the police can ask a judge to unseal them.
Critics say the department will use the records to harass young offenders.
Repeat violators of the youth curfew face up to 25 hours of community service; parents or guardians who knowingly let a child break curfew can be fined up to $500 and be ordered to perform community service.
