The frustration over violent crime in Prince George鈥檚 County is understandable. But Charles Adams, Bowie State University professor and chair of the Maryland school’s Department of Criminal Justice, doesn’t see curfews as the answer to juvenile crime.
鈥淲hat we know as criminologists is that curfews, for the most part, have very little impact, if any, on violent crime,鈥� Adams said.
Adams was asked about a curfew for those under the age of 17, which would require them to be off the streets from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays, and from 11:59 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weekends. It goes into effect starting Friday. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made the announcement on Monday.
Adams said data from the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention shows that most crimes committed by juveniles are likely to occur outside of the hours of the Prince George鈥檚 County curfew.
He said most crime committed by juveniles are likely to occur between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Data from the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention聽 released in April found that violence committed by people between the ages of 7 and 17, are聽 more frequent during school days. The time of day that acts of violence occur peaks at 3 p.m. on school days and 7 p.m. on nonschool days.
Also, young people under 17 are most likely to become victims of violence at roughly the same times, according to federal data.
Adams said the impulse to enforce curfews is a reasonable one on the part of adults. 鈥淲e want our kids, especially our young kids, to be home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. That鈥檚 obvious,鈥� but he said policymakers should be wary of assuming that there will be a drop in crime by juveniles as a result.
Curfews could be 鈥減art of a comprehensive approach鈥� to deal with juvenile crime, Adams said. That should involve leaders in education, recreation, criminal justice and parents 鈥渃oming to the table and creating a comprehensive plan and approach to dealing with this kind of program.鈥�
While Alsobrooks said juveniles involved in crime 鈥渄on鈥檛 just need a hug鈥� but need to be held accountable for their actions, Adams said he understands
鈥淚 get the message that she was trying to send 鈥� there鈥檚 a perception that we coddle our kids,鈥� he said.
When it comes to dealing with juvenile offenders, 鈥渢he behavior that they exhibit is not acceptable, but we have to understand that the person is a long way from being finished. They鈥檙e a work in progress,鈥� Adams sad. “There are opportunities for growth.”
