ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – In light of the recent rash of teen gun violence, there’s been a lot of discussions about curfews.
By law, Georgia minors can’t be out after 11 p.m. on weekdays and after midnight on weekends. Some cities have their own curfews.
The city of Albany has its curfew — it’s Sunday to Thursday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and weekends from midnight to 6 a.m. Albany Police Chief Michael Persley says he believes curfews do work.
“The first time the minor will get a warning and they are returned home. The second time, they are charged a juvenile complaint and then sent home. The third time they get a complaint, and the parent will be charged under this ordinance,” said Persley.
Albany has had a curfew for more than 20 years. At first, it made a difference. However, Persley says in the years since, the impact has been hard to measure.
“The curfew has been in place since the late 90s. 1999 it had an impact, initially, because at that point I don’t think Albany had a curfew at that time. But over the last 20 years, I can’t 100% say that it had deterred,” said Persley.
Americus Police Chief Mark Scott recently issued a reminder about its long-standing curfew. He told WALB he believes the best curfew is the one enforced at home.
“The most effective curfew is the one that parents give their kids and enforce themselves. But we do have a law on the books here in Americus, as most cities do, reminding parents that there is a curfew and that your kid should not be out past certain times at night,” Scott said.
While there is disagreement about how curfews should be enforced, and even if they are necessary, most agree that children are much more likely to get in trouble when they’re out at night and away from home.
In November 2022, a 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy were shot to death near Atlantic Station shortly after 8 p.m. That prompted calls for an 8 p.m. curfew, but city leaders shut it down.
“I don’t think 7 or 8 will work. There are too many games that occur at that time. There are too many kids that are leaving practice at that time,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
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