Teenage Curfews Essay Example

dangers of being on the streets at night. Hughes cited examples of drug dealers, pimps, and older peers who may encourage teenagers into criminal activities. Overall, while Mr. Stanley opposes teenage curfews due to enforcement difficulties, Ms. Hughes sees them as valuable for community protection and safety measures for young people.

Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, criticized the new orders for potentially stigmatizing entire neighborhoods and for being another sign of the government's "strong authoritarian trend." In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today program, he quoted a teenager who likened the strategy to punishing an entire class for the actions of a few. Despite including a range of opinions, the article appears balanced and fair, featuring support from the Daily Mail for Tony Blair's initiatives and insights from Stan Shiels, vice chairman of the British Legion club in Newham.

Tony Blair emphasizes the need to address issues related to public services and major crimes, but acknowledges that individuals often face problems such as fly tipping, graffiti, and petty vandalism when leaving their homes or visiting local establishments like the British Legion Club. He believes that respect is crucial in fostering a cohesive community and creating a safe environment for everyone, regardless of age. Blair's vision of people being law-abiding citizens who follow rules while enjoying themselves might seem idealistic to some. However, Stan Shiels paints a different picture, recounting incidents of intimidating behavior by youths who use drugs and engage in vandalism in the area.

Our members experienced hostility from different groups, including travellers camping on our premises, stolen cars being abandoned and being shouted at. Elderly members felt unsafe venturing out

during the evenings due to these incidents. In response, we installed barbed wire for safety, but it was eventually cut through by the perpetrators. The situation was likened to a war zone.

Teenage curfews are not opposed despite including extensive and lengthy quotes. The language used to back curfews indicates bias against teenagers due to the use of negative terms like "hooliganism," "vandalism," and "yobbery." According to the British Crime Survey, there was an overall decrease in crime by 12% between 1999-2000 with significant reductions in burglaries (17%), vehicle theft (11%), household theft (16%) and violent crime (19%). However, a closer look reveals that incidents such as mobile phone thefts, muggings, and shootings have increased causing public fear.

Although there is a lack of statistical evidence regarding young people committing crimes, articles suggest that criminal behavior is typically engaged in by intoxicated youth. Many individuals I have spoken to share my opinion that teenage curfews should not be enforced, as it could impact those within the 14-15 age range and may infringe on their rights. It must be acknowledged that my perspective may be biased since I too would be subject to this regulation. Instead of implementing curfews, an alternative solution could involve issuing immediate fines, which would ultimately save money by avoiding court proceedings.