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Escambia County, City Of Pensacola Consider Joint Youth Curfew
July 1, 2011
A Pensacola city councilman wants a countywide curfew for youth, a idea briefly discussed at a joint meeting of the Pensacola City Council and the Escambia County Commission on Thursday.
Councilman John Jerralds is advocating a curfew modeled after one currently in place in Jacksonville. He wants to make a presentation about the ordinance to the county’s attorney or the entire commission in hopes that city and council will both adopt a youth curfew.
The Jacksonville youth curfew ordinance restricts any unmarried person under the age of 18 from being on the streets between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. weekdays or 6 a.m. on the weekend or holidays unless they are with a parent or guardian.
There are several exceptions in the ordinance, including teens on their way to or from work; a church, school or other organization and other events.
To read the entire Jacksonville youth curfew ordinance, click here.
Both the youth curfew violator and their parents can receive civil citations for violating the Jacksonville law.
Comments
50 Responses to “Escambia County, City Of Pensacola Consider Joint Youth Curfew”
A curfew ? I guess it is easier to hassle everyone than to put a stop to the criminal behavior by treating teens that are up to no good like criminals.
In regard to the gang activity, locally and nation wide. I read a report that some of the larger gangs are enlisting members into specific army jobs that permit access to small arms and grenade devices, ect, for theft. I would imagine these jokers are very active in the small hours.
Tigger
You said it all, but I have no doubt it will fall on deaf ears.
They won’t police them and they won’t let anyone else do it.
There is nothing wrong with their kids, it’s not them.
Must have a lot of New York kids in town.
LOL
Yeah, that curfew will keep those thugs off the street. Like the DUI laws keep drunks off the road; banks and convenience stores from being robbed; or murder from happening, etc (insert name of crime here).
A curfew will only do two things, most likely: 1) create a new criminal class; and, 2) hand the streets over to those who have no regard for the law while people cower in their homes at the government prescribed time.
Are people ever going to take responsibility for their actions (and the actions of their children) and quit relying on the government for everything?
The danger to Joe citizen has greatly increased in recent years. We have gangs of violent criminals here locally, that we have not idea of who they are, or where they come from. It has become unfasionable to enforce US. law, in the name of political correctness. These predators roam at large, well armed and organized. I feel that until we can get things fixed, a curfew might help keep everyone safer. 429SCJ for cleaning up, for good!
Ok this has been really amusing,but I will have to put my two cents in here.
1. DHG I enjoy your comments even if I don’t always agree.They are usually free of spelling and typographical errors, unlike quite a few here.
2. More laws DO NOT make for fewer criminals.
3. Let the police tend to the current laws they have to enforce and there won’t be problems.
4.Let parents tend to their children.
5. A curfew is only going to hinder the law abiding.
6. Just food for thought, here but some of those walking around late may be waiting for a drunk and abusive parent to pass out. Some may have jobs. Some may genuinely be night owls. Some teens may be blowing off steam or “love sick”.
The point is , its none of our business what puts people what ever their age out and about after dark, maybe they just don’t like the heat. What ever it is, if parents and police do their jobs we have no need for a curfew. John Jerralds needs to find something worth it to spend our/his time, energy and money on.
Polythenepam for the education of our young, they are our future!
Could this be a back-door attempt at consolidated government?
So you’re telling me that a member of the military who is 17 would not be allowed out at night?
I agree with curfew to keep the punks and thugs at home. But they donot follow the law now so what is going to happen to them when caught? Nothing!! The only negative to this is the kids that follow the law and act like they have a little sense will have to pay the same price. Parents think the law is the baby sitter when there out playing midnite basketball, stealing or what ever. PARENTS WHERE ARE YOUR KIDS, WHY ARE THEY OUT ALL NITE AT A YOUNG AGE. When they get caught and you can watch this on tv all the time. He is a good boy, he never been in trouble and most have a rap sheet. To smart for the school to teach them anything.
As a Teen in the late Seventies, I use to hang out until the wee hours up to “No Good”. I never got in any trouble. Luck was on my side, but the biggest factor was what would happen if my Dad had to come get me out of Jail. That would been the end of my late night adventures and most everything else I did outside of having a heartbeat!
My Parents gave me a lot of freedom. But I knew the rules and consequences of my actions if I acted wrong. It seems today some Parents don”t care, nor do the Kids. Parents need too step up and “Police” there children. Not a cerfew to keep them at home.
REGARDING:
“Why do you think the world will end if the county adopts a curfew? It has happened all over the country and those places are still here and not controlled by the government.”
It’s not a matter of it ending the world, but a question of whether or not it would make for a better world.
And to be honest, in every country where the government imposes a curfew, the people of that country ARE controlled by that government at least in that particular matter. What’s more, in every instance where the government fails to control the people who defy the law, the government is weakened from what may be more important matters.
It would be good if people weren’t wandering the streets at night looking for crimes to commit, just as it would be good if nobody ever committed crimes. We should be careful about what we make crimes, though.
David for big pictures
Very glad this is bought up. I hate going out on the weekends and seeing young kids out on the streets no need for kids to be downtown on at the beach at midnight or later. They will just get into trouble. About time Pensacola thought about this ieda. Califorina has had it forever.
If teens had parents that cared and had contorl of them, they wouldn’t need a curfew. END OF STORY
@bjay
It’s not the curfew itself. The curfew idea is just a symptom of the bigger problem in this country, which is hostility toward peace and freedom of all kinds. It’s a slippery slope that we are fast going down. Like I said, you or your kids, or your grandkids will wake up one day and think “what happened?”
And yes I agree 100% that this is America, it IS suppose to be a FREE country and we all have our rights to do/say what we want but something needs to be done about teens being out so late, especially the 1’s up to no good…Most parents aren’t doing it so what are our other options, obviously a curfew or we can do nothing and let things get worse and more and more teens committing crimes, drinking/driving, drugs, harming other people, etc. Hopefully a curfew will help. And I know not all teens who stay out this late are doing these things but a good majority of them are. And for people who want to say “well I had no idea” …your there PARENT, you have the right to be nosey and know what your kid is up to at all times.
I don’t see where this would hurt to at least try it out. Teens are getting into wayyyy to much trouble now days and most could be prevented if they weren’t out this late and at home where they should be. Teens all think they are grown! I was never aloud out this late or when I was there age, shoot, I never had most of what teens are getting now. It’s sad that the parents won’t keep there kids safe and out of trouble at these times so now there has to be a curfew but great idea. Maybe less young people out drinking and driving and getting into accidents too.
Bad idea. Every little law like this brings you closer to being communist. It’s that simple.Parennts need to decide when children come home.And any parent properly raising their children will have them home at a decent time. the others ,well thats what law officers are for.Break the law ,go to jail…..But every child thats out late is not out to cause trouble.THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FREE COUNTRY! My boy likes to fish at night.If he,s not 18 he can’t go fishing at night? BULL!
@1984- Why do you think the world will end if the county adopts a curfew? It has happened all over the country and those places are still here and not controlled by the government. I think your a little overboard on your beliefs.
@everyone claiming this will make kids speed to get home- KIDS SPEED ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!! I can make it to the north end of the county in less than 30 minutes from i-10 and hwy 29 without speeding. Not a good excuse. Go to an 8:00 movie and be home by 11:00. If you read the article it says ” There are several exceptions in the ordinance, including teens on their way to or from work; a church, school or other organization and other events.” If you get pulled over and explain to the cop that your on your way home from a date and didnt want to sped then Im sure he will let you go. But if your not speeding you wont get pulled over! This is a good idea and I hope it passes. Maybe if this was already in place we wouldnt have lost a kids life from a drunken mistake a couple months ago. NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT!
Back when I was seventeen we were hanging out at Sardine or Barrineau Park at 1AM, listening to Peter Frampton and shooting the breeze. Nowdays you have 14 year olds out at 1AM shooting people in the head. I feel until such time, we can correct these problems, stop gap measures such as curfews are something to toss around the table!
used to be from Bratt…
Or maybe we just like that old fashioned idea called “liberty”. Something you apparently know absolutely nothing about.
Nanny-state knows best. Anyone who supports this curfew sickens me. Just watch as your beloved country goes to hell. And then you will ask with a dumb look “what happened??”
“GET A LIFE”…..GET AN EDUCATION!
“Get a life” – Your comment was SO hilarious! I nearly died laughing. Thanks for the comment. I believe it disproved your point very effectively. Good job, “dude”, good job!
“Get a Life”
If you have an opinion it is welcomed. David’s opinions are welcomed and usually accurate. But do us all a favor, if you are going to post on here, use spell check or something because its you’re posts that do not make any sense. You are a testament to the fine education that many of our youth are getting today. What a joke.
I’d just like to say I am 18 so the law wouldn’t apply to me. But yes I agree with it but at the same time I don’t.
Just like it was said, kids will speed to make it home by the curfew and end up wrecking or getting a speeding ticket. I know kids who even though they are “good” kids wouldn’t obey this law. Were “just kids” and ya we don’t listen all the time but were not all bad. And just like someone said don’t punish the good ones for the bad ones mistakes. They really won’t obey it anyways or they will find a way around it, trust me kids these days are good at that. It just comes down to the parents not doing enough to enforce rules. My curfew growing up was always be home by dark until I got in high school then it went to whatever grade I was in was what time I had to be home.
Get a Life!:
“David H Green .. Look here man.. I Get so tired of reading your resopnce.. They dont make ANY sence to me and i think u jus have too much time on your hands old man and you need to find something perductive to do with your time .. Because i and many others can see just how much of that you hav.. O yea.. and one last thing.. Why Write such a long commet Then white at the bottom a sentence that describes it all up in like 5 words .. you not right in the head dude ..”
It seems good to me to have such a well-written “resocpnce” to Mr. Green as you had. Maybe the reason he doesn’t make any sense to you is that his entries are way too logical for some folks to understand. I don’t always agree with him, but I support his right speak in an open forum like this. Actually, he probably doesn’t agree with me all the time, either.
I find his remarks enlightening and thought-provoking, and in that way he’s very “perductive.” The reason he sums his remarks up “white” at the end is so some folks can better understand the first part. See? It worked on you.
REGARDING:
” I Get so tired of reading your resopnce.. ”
You have my permission to skip them.
David for solutions
I can only think of one reason someone wouldn’t want a curfew…up to no good.
@getalife- I for one appreciate David and his post. (although I dont always agree) He is the one person who actually post stuff based off of knowledge and facts and not off of dumb redneck oppinion. You dont have to agree with someone in order for them post on here. Especially when you wont even put your name up. Here a simple solution to this, DONT READ HIS POST THEN! It is fitting you used the name “get a life”.
What about Midnight Madness at the fair or midnight premiers of movies? This curfew will only affect the good kids of society, the ones who are out late making trouble and BREAKING THE LAW already will disregard this law as well. It won’t stop anything.
I think PARENTS should be responsible for their children – NOT the government. Go back to the good old days when the parents were responsible financially for their chirldren’s damages, and see how fast the kids wake up, especially when thier cars, computers, ipods, cell phones, etc are taken away to pay for the damages they have done. You CANNOT legislate sensibility and morality.
David H Green .. Look here man.. I Get so tired of reading your resopnce.. They dont make ANY sence to me and i think u jus have too much time on your hands old man and you need to find something perductive to do with your time .. Because i and many others can see just how much of that you hav.. O yea.. and one last thing.. Why Write such a long commet Then white at the bottom a sentence that describes it all up in like 5 words .. you not right in the head dude ..
REGARDING:
“If they want to bring this in to the city of Pensacola, I think it is a good idea, but do not extend it to the entire county.”
I agree. Let Pensacola show us the way and we will follow later if it looks good. We can pity them if it doesn’t pan out, which it probably won’t.
AND:
“NOO Martial Law…Call it what it is”
If you call it what it is, you won’t call it martial law because it isn’t enforced by the military. (martial–of soldiers and war)
It’s one of those things where you don’t want the government interfering with your own rights but can see where most people who don’t have a legitimate reason to be out at night are probably looking for something interesting to do and that may involve damaging or stealing your property so you really wish they just wouldn‘t do it, even if the government weren‘t involved.
This is interestingly different from the federal government’s support of “midnight basketball” which assumes kids will be out after midnight and that having games to play would stop then from criminal activity.
It’s also interesting in that it would fine the parents of violators. Those who say they can’t control their children would pay for lack of control–those who admit they have children, that is.
It’s probably best just to punish the criminals rather than go nuts thinking you can stop them ere they commit.
David for punishing the hurters
This acutally is a good idea, there is a growing problem with the youth in this county. Alot of the shootings, gang violence, and serial burglars have been teenagers. Give the cops another tool to stop crime, it doesnt mean they have to enforce it every time, b\c they have “discretion”. If he\she is a known thug, then take them to jail. If he\she has been told multiple times by PPD\ECSO that they are violating curfew, then finally arrest them and their parents And for those that think this is a city of pensacola problem, it isnt. Look at Lincoln Park, Wedgewood, Warrington, Brentwood, Montclair, they’re having the same problems, So the county has to step up too, unless you wanna sound ignorant and say a curfew is only enforced south of Ten Mile Rd.
Noo noo more government trying to restrict the citizens. The police have to much to worry about to be bothered with Johnny being out after curfew and What about the kids that are doing Nothing wrong. Why penalizes them. Some one made the comment about Nothing Good happens after. Midnight. We stayed out all night fishing or just hanging out by the river or in the woods Nothing bad about that why punish kids for that. Only people who want a curfew want to tell u What u can watch on tv or listen to on the radio the world would be better if these dogooders would worry about there backyard and not mine
Why not just let the driver’s license curfew still be the curfews used? We don’t want to have more young marriages just so they don’t have curfews.
I am really excited about all of the support this curfew is getting. The best thing to do to a group of law abiding people, regardless of age, is to restrict their movement and single them out for greater scrutiny by law enforcement. I mean, many of us agree that not all of these young people are always committing crimes when they are out past 11:00, but the problem is that they could be doing nefarious things after Leno. The best thing to do is to implement a curfew, right? Right. Now that we’ve got that covered, how about guns? I mean, we wouldn’t have any more shootings if there were no more guns, right? It doesn’t matter if you aren’t breaking the law with your firearms, what matters is that you could use them to commit a crime, or even worse, crimes. Anyone that sees the value in preventing the potential dirty deeds that might possibly be done by those seedy teenagers should join me in giving up our right to firearms. Come on, people, think safety here! It isn’t about letting people make choices, its about making rules that keep us, and our children safe. Let’s keep supporting this measure, and take up the cause to ban weapons of any kind, because parenting is hard, and all important decisions should be left up to the only people that truly have our best interests in mind, government officials.
Another case of the government having to do what parents should be doing in the first place. Great idea for the curfew.
“Nothing good happens after Midnight”
I’m not one for giving government anymore power but this is one thing I will agree with. If you can’t control your children and have them home at a decent hour someone needs to. Not only to prevent your children from committing crimes during late hours, but to prevent crimes from happening to them. Odds are if your kids out past 11 you don’t really know where they are. You like to think they’re at Johnny’s with Johnny’s parents. Johnny’s parents are asleep, while Johnny and your child are smoking pot or having sex. Who knows? Not you because your children aren’t home where they belong.
People do not realize that these type curfews have been used for many many years all over the US to curb youth that tend to cause problems and get into trouble. My parents had a time set for us kids in when I was a teen. If we needed extra time…we just asked…it normally depended on who and where we were….and if we were 5 min late….Dad was in the car coming to see where we were. Basically…parents need to do their job and know where your kids are, who they are with and what they are up too and these things would not be needed…I support this in our day and age due to the lack of home training by many parents today….stop being your kids friend….be a parent!
I’m thinking this should be a city ordinance not a county one , I think BOGIAN summed it up for me.
“wondering” – If parents would do what they were supposed to do then we wouldn’t have to take anything away from them.
“BOGIAN” – there are earlier movies but I see where you’re going with it. I could see more of a 11 – 5 weekdays and Midnight – 5 weekends.
If they want to bring this in to the city of Pensacola, I think it is a good idea, but do not extend it to the entire county. The Jacksonville ordiance is just that a city ordiance. Used to stop crime and other activites within the city limits of Jacksonville. Let the city police deal with the problems within theh city limits of Pensacola.
People from McDavid, Century and even Atmore, that go out to Penscola have an extra hour of just drive time before doing anything. I know….the kids can start going back up to Atmore, where there is really nothing to do. I didn’t like going there when I was 18 and still don’t now that I am 48.
I always like ideas like this. For starters, it targets a group of people that present a perceived threat, and in this case it is one that is largely imaginary. This will put an extra burden on law enforcement to find these kids and start writing tickets, and yes, there will be tickets… And tickets… And tickets… This is another reason why I love this type of idea, it discourages economic activity while raising revenue directly for the government through fines. Think about Friday nights. Home by 11:30? Good luck with that. This ordinance would make dinner and a movie in Pensacola a crime for any 17 year old in the north end of the county, because they will have an awful tough time making it home before 11pm. Don’t go to out and spend that date money? Local business might have a problem with that. But what if north end kids go out anyway? Picture this, kiddo gets stopped on hwy 97 after dropping off his girlfriend at 11:15 and he gets a ticket for breaking curfew. Mom and dad are none too happy about it. Next week comes, and kiddo says “Hey, if I drive faster, I can make it home in time,” and kiddo winds up smashed into a tree and the whole world wonders why.
Long story short, this is a really funny ordinance that will take money from the citizens and businesses of this county while overburdening law enforcement and creating the unintended consequence of making north end roads more dangerous , just so some dope can do some grandstanding during a meeting. I sure hope it passes though, because, you know, uh, teenagers and stuff.
I think it is just another step toward taking rights away from parents. Socialist America is almost here. Next thing you know they can restrict anyone in America from going outside their house without a permit. Except criminals and illegal Mexicans of course, wouldnt want to offend that group.
I do not like the idea of more government running my house. Why not just get out and work the streets and get the ones off that are doing wrong. Not all teenagers out late are doing bad things. You can still do at 9 what you will do after 11.
Why doesn’t Pensacola just worry about Pensacola things; and, let Escambia County take care of Escambia County things.
Didn’t we just have a discussion recently about not combining the two governments? I wonder if this is a back door attempt at consolidation?
Maybe 18 year olds have no business on the streets; however, suddenly making them ‘law violators’ by the passing of an ordinance doesn’t seem to be of any significant value…unless you want to tie police up with more things to go along with all the other things they are understaffed to do.
If these young people aren’t breaking any laws other than being out and about…why create the extra burdens on courts and law enforcement by passing new laws? Why not just enforce the existing laws when they are being broken by anyone…including unsupervised youth?
NOOO WAYY, this is the united states of america…NOO Martial Law…Call it what it is…
This might not be a bad idea.
I think this is a great idea.