10 PM Curfew For Philadelphia Teens Could Become Permanent

If you or your kids are under the age of 18 and living in Philadelphia, this affects you!

The 10 pm city-wide curfew for minors under the age of 18 that was enacted over the summer, may become permanent, according to 6abc Philadelphia.

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The Philadelphia City Council just voted to make the curfew permanent on Thursday. If enacted, minors from ages 14-17 will be required to be home by 10 pm, and children aged 13 and younger would need to be home by 9:30 pm. The curfew ends at 6 am.

The only thing the proposed bill needs to be enacted is Mayor Jim Kenney's approval.

Why was the 10pm curfew put in place?

Teen curfews in Philadelphia aren't new. However, the most recent previous curfew for teenagers under the age of 18 was midnight, but it was changed to 10 pm over the summer in an attempt to keep young people safer from gun violence and crime.

What happens if the teen curfew is violated?

If minors are caught violating the curfew, the Philadelphia Police Department will pick them up and take them home. If for whatever reason that's not possible or the parent/guardians are unreachable, the child will have to be taken to a police station or an evening resource center.

Are there exceptions?

Yep. There are exceptions for minors accompanied by adults and for minors who attend jobs, school, or religious activities. Kids who are just chilling outside on the stoop or sidewalk of their home will also be fine.

Would this permanent curfew be effective?

Not everyone thinks so. In a city like Philadelphia, where crime rates have historically been some of the highest in the country, some would argue that a teen curfew would barely put a dent in the amount of minors affected by crime and gun violence. Those who created the bill say they just want to do everything they can to keep children safe, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

What do you think about the curfew becoming permanent?