October 5, 2016

Dear Next President,

I believe that kids 18 and younger should not be given curfews by anyone other than a parent or guardian. Kids 18 and younger are given curfews by the city they live in because their city believes it will lower teen crime rates. I think that curfews are just another way of trying to get people in trouble with the police. I also think that it doesn’t actually help lower teen crime rates because as a teen myself, just going out at night does not mean I am a criminal.

One reason curfews are given is to try and help reduce teen crime rates. Nobody has yet to prove that this method actually works. Infact, an East Bay Express news article called “Why Curfew Is Still a Bad Idea” states that “According to the California Department of Justice data, youths represented just 11 percent of the total arrests for felony crimes in Oakland in 2010,” then later states, “Adults made up the other 89 percent”, which you can conclude that teens aren’t the main problem in crime rates, adults are. Some people are up late wanting food, needing something from the store, or just want to get out of the house. It is unfair for those who are innocent, just wanting to get out of the house, whether they have a purpose or not, to get in trouble just because it is late at night. Getting arrested or even ticketed by the police for being out past curfew could affect a child’s future trying to get a job or get into college. Not everyone out past curfew are criminals or dangerous people.

Curfews aren’t lowering teen crime rates, and are just giving police another reason to get children in trouble when they aren’t criminals. Also, cities should stop trying to lower teen crime rates and start trying to lower adult crime rates. If you could help me to try and get rid of curfew laws in every city in the U.S. It would mean a lot to me and billions of teens in this amazing country. Good luck on your presidency and keep up the hard work of keeping this country great.

Best of luck,

Amaya Vandenbosch