Curfew for Miami Teens Goes Back to the Future

Law on the books for 17 & unders to get renewed enforcement in coming months

Another deadly shooting in Miami on Wednesday night underscored a plan to renew enforcement of a curfew in Miami for teens 17-years-old and under.

City Commissioner Richard Dunn, exasperated at continued violence involving young people, is leading a coordinated effort among city hall officials, police officers, community activists, and parents to crack down on young people out between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

"That's far too late for a 17-year-old and under to be outside!” said Dunn. “For what?"
 
The law, Dunn said, was enacted in 1994 but, when he served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner, the curfew law ran into legal issues. Its enforcement did not cease but waned.
 
Over the next few months, Miami police say they will educate kids and parents about the enforcement. While details like penalties are still being worked out between police officials and the state attorney's office, it is possible that teenagers, their parents and even businesses “harboring” teenagers after hours could be held legally responsible, police said.
 
"There's a lot of things that we still have to iron out,” said Miami Police Spokesperson Kenia Reyes. “But for right now, what we’re trying to do is send that message, that the safety of these children are paramount. And the message to those parents are, 'we're worried, we want to help you.’”
 
Healthy activities for young people are there, but sometimes limited. Dunn said the curfew is aimed not only at kids intent on doing wrong but also good kids who might get exposed to bad decisions. Worse, Dunn said, a curfew could stop a violent attack on an innocent kid. And lots of good parents say they see lousy parents not doing enough to send their children down the right path.
 
"I am in total agreement of the curfew and I hope that the City of Miami and Metro Dade does all they can to enforce the curfew,” said concerned parent Kristine Jackson, as she collected her two children from baseball practice at Charles Hadley Park. "A lot of these children who are 17 and under don't have any direction at home and are out wandering the streets and doing a lot of mischievous things, things that if they were home, they wouldn't get into."
 
The law is actually countywide: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday and midnight to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Dunn said the City of Hialeah has enforced the law but most other municipalities in Miami-Dade have not stressed its enforcement. Dunn said his fellow city commissioners are fully supportive and so are parents with whom he’s met.
 
Dunn will lead several public meetings about the curfew crackdown, starting Monday at 6 p.m. at Charles Hadley Park in Miami.
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