§ 9.08.010. Purpose.

This chapter is enacted by the city to accomplish the following purposes:

A.

To provide young people with the ability to make reasoned judgments, resist peer group pressure and understand that the consequences of improper behavior increase with age, knowledge and experience, all of which are likely to increase as a person grows older, and these factors justify the application of a curfew to minors, and not adults; and

B.

Juvenile crime, especially nighttime crime where minors have increasingly been victims, has increased over the years and jurisdictions enforcing a nocturnal juvenile curfew have experienced a reduction in crime and noncriminal mischief; and

C.

To safeguard the integrity of the city by enabling it to recoup law enforcement costs of identifying, detaining, and transporting minors who violate curfew ordinances to their place of residence; and

D.

To reinforce parental authority and supervision and encourage parents and legal guardians to exercise reasonable and necessary care, supervision, and control of their minor children so as to prevent them from committing irresponsible or unlawful acts including involvement in any criminal street gang activity; and

E.

Provide young people with appropriate protection and guidance in order to become educated, responsible citizens and to behave acceptably in public.

(Ord. 461 § 6 (part), 1997)