Newark set to enact curfew for children under 18 on Friday
NEWARK, N.J. -- A curfew for kids in Newark will go into effect on Friday night.
As the city implements an increase police presence throughout the city, it's also launching what it calls a Juvenile Safety Initiative. The city's public safety director says the initiative is a coordinated effort by the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery (VPTR).
Under the curfew, children ages 17 and younger are not allowed to be more than 100 yards from their homes between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. unless they are with a parent or guardian, or there is an emergency.
Newark resident Oluwabukola Olarinoie believes the curfew is a good thing and says she and her two sons try to get home before dark. In the past, 9-year-old William has heard gunshots outside their home.
"She didn't want to scare me, so she said it was fireworks until the next morning, until she said it was gunshots," he said.
The curfew does not apply to juveniles who are traveling to or from a job or a school, community or religious extracurricular activity.
"You'd be surprised how many are important breadwinners in the home. They may not be the sole breadwinner in the home, but they're contributing in a significant way. So they have to work. They work at night. I see them," said Lawrence Hamm, an anti-violence advocate and chairman for People's Organization for Progress.
He says he doesn't want to see children criminalized.
"We don't want to see our young people who are innocent, those that are not engaged in criminal activity, in fact become criminalized by this policy," Hamm said.
In a statement, Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said, "As part of our ongoing crime reduction strategy, we launched the Juvenile Safety Initiative earlier than usual to safeguard children who may opt to remain outdoors later as the weather becomes warmer in the spring and summer. As always, our goal is to ensure the safety of all Newark residents, including our children."
This isn't the first time Newark has implemented this policy. Some are hoping it will help reduce crime.
"I'm just really going to hold out and see how this policy change really works out. If it does work for the long haul or if it doesn't," Newark resident Ryan Foster said.
Any minor found violating the curfew will first be given a verbal warning, escorted home and released to the care of a parent or guardian.
If a juvenile violates the curfew a second time within a six-month period, they will be taken to the Newark Police Youth Strategies Section on Dickerson Street and a parent or guardian will be called to pick them up. Police will also refer the juvenile to a staff member with the VPTR office to assess if the child needs any services or resources.
Repeated violations will result in the child's parents or guardians being referred to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families Office of Child Protection and Permanency. The city says police will not arrest minors for violating the curfew.
