Columbia may be one step closer to having a juvenile curfew
Using curfews to fight crime has been debated all over the country.
Columbia’s City Manager Mike Matthes’ report said some cities have seen reduced crime during curfew hours, but others only show mixed results.
Second Ward Councilman Michel Trapp said the research doesn’t convince him.
“These are a series of adult-on-adult crimes and I don’t even see how a curfew is related to the issues involved with the recent crime people are concerned about,” Trapp told ABC 17 News.
Instead, Trapp said the city needs to focus on the laws it already has.
“Maybe if we focus our police efforts on enforcing the laws that we have, that might be a better approach,” he said.
ABC 17 News also talked to Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser on the phone Sunday.
Nauser said she brought up the curfew in 2009, but doesn’t think a curfew will address what’s important right now.
Others in the community also said a curfew would be a wasted effort that would cause even more problems.
“I don’t think a curfew is going to help this situation,” Columbia resident LaMaron Thomas said. “I think it’s going to cause more problems, then cause more arrests and then cause more kids sneaking around.”
Thomas told ABC 17 News the city should create a place for kids to go at night where they can hang out, but wouldn’t be allowed to leave until the next morning.
Columbia’s report suggests doing more than just adding curfew hours.
Matthes wants education, job services and graffiti control.
The council will meet Monday at 7 p.m.
