During it's August 10th regular meeting, the Clayton Downtown Development Association voted to recommend to the Town Council to not enact an ordinance that would create a curfew for young people under the age of 16 between Midnight and 6:00 am.
Board chairman, Ed Knight, presented the letter and spoke to the Town Council during Monday night's public forum at the Council meeting. The DDA's main concerns were:
• The public perception of a community initiating a curfew is that the community has a crime problem
• A perceived “curfew” could hamper and harm economic development efforts
• As a crime deterrent, the proposed ordinance does little since most juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3 pm and 9 pm.*
Town Council will make a decision on the ordinance at their September 8 meeting.
Clayton News Star article
TO: Clayton Town Council
FROM: Ed Knight, Chairman, Downtown Development Association
DATE: August 17, 2009
SUBJECT: Chapter 133: Youth Protection (proposed ordinance amendment)
The issue of the Town’s proposed Youth Protection ordinance amendment was discussed at the August 10, 2009, Downtown Development Association meeting.
The stated purpose of the proposed ordinance is to “reinforce and promote the role of the parent in raising and guiding children…” The wording is gentle, yet firm enough to provide genuine guidance.
However, the proposed ordinance provides, in essence, a curfew. The public views a community in need of a curfew as having serious juvenile and other crime problems.
Fortunately, Clayton does not have a serious juvenile crime issue, especially between the proposed hours. According to the Clayton Police Department between April 15, 2008 and April 15, 2009 there were five reported incidences of juvenile crime between midnight and 6:00 am.
Following discussion, the DDA board on August 10, voted to recommend opposition to the proposed ordinance for the following reasons:
• The public perception of a community initiating a curfew is that the community has a crime problem
• A perceived “curfew” could hamper and harm economic development efforts
• As a crime deterrent, the proposed ordinance does little since most juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3 pm and 9 pm.*
The concept of “it takes a village,” which has been offered as a reason for this proposed ordinance, simply means neighbors helping neighbors. It does not mean the government or the police taking on parental responsibilities.
We don’t need a curfew in Clayton and we urge you not to adopt this proposed ordinance.
Sincerely,
Edward Knight, Chairman
Downtown Development Association
*Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
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