Under a pilot program Mayor Richard Daley recently announced, youth caught violating curfew will be hauled off to a participating park district facility instead of to jail.
A ride in the squad car to the park instead of to the police station for curfew violators is a step in the right direction, according to a mental health expert.
Children caught outside on the weekends during the summer after curfew hours in three crime-rampant areas – 3rd, 7th and 10th police districts – will be sent to Chicago Park District field houses in those areas for their parents or legal guardian to pick up, instead of the police stations, according to a recent announcement by Mayor Richard M. Daley.
On Fridays and Saturdays from now until October, police officers from the Preventive Programs and Neighborhood Relations Division will be on hand from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Harris Park, 6200 S. Drexel Blvd., Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave. and Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31 St., to spread awareness about the many programs the park district and other community organizations have to offer for children during the summer school break.
For children under age 17, curfew hours are 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Parents are fined if their children break the curfew law. After those hours, children are more susceptible to violence during overnight hours, the mayor said.
Steering violators toward recreational programs is key to keeping them away from going down the wrong path the mayor said, adding that the program may expand citywide after the pilot period. Carl Bell, M.D., a mental health expert, said it’s a positive approach that should gain traction. “Why criminalize children and take them to the police station because they were out late. Why not encourage them to get involved in programs at the park. It’s a bit more constructive and protective,” said Bell, president of the Community Mental Health Council.
Staffers with the park district may be better equipped than the police to communicate effectively with the children and their parents. The likelihood of the message getting across may increase, he said. “Cops take a bullying and paramilitary approach toward children. The people who work at the park district may take a more social approach,” said Bell.
“Common sense says that when you can connect students with mentors, and families with support services and information about positive activities for young people, then those young people have a better chance of avoiding violence or even joining a gang,” said Daley at one of the three parks participating in the new initiative.
Chicago police said curfew is enforced every night.
“Every district has a dedicated curfew car that patrols the district looking for violators. We try to round up curfew violators every day,” said Roderick Drew, spokesman for the department.
Violators will be taken to the police station if a parent or legal guardian can’t be located, he said, adding Sunday through Thursdays, if a curfew violator is picked up, they will be automatically taken to the district station for processing, he said.
“They will receive information about services that can provide alternatives to hanging out and engaging in behavior that ultimately leads to curfew violations,” said Drew.
Parents can face up to $500 in fines after the third violation within a one-year period. If a child committed a crime after curfew, the parent can face a fine after the first violation.
Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender.
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