Following an increase in violent crime, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland declared on Monday that a teen curfew will be strictly enforced. In comparison to last year, Alsobrooks said that 430 adolescents were arrested this year. At this point, Alsobrooks stated, “These kids need more than just a hug; they need to be held accountable.”
Despite the fact that the curfew is already a part of Maryland law, it hasn’t been strictly implemented since 1995, according to WTOP. The teen curfew will go in effect starting the following weekend and last for at least 30 days.
From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday and from 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Friday through Saturday, teens under the age of 17 must stay off the streets.
Repeat offenders’ parents might face fines of up to $250 and the Department of Social Services might take custody of their kids. According to Alsobrooks, the objective of the stringent enforcement was to safeguard teenagers rather than burden law enforcement.
Parents and other family members were urged to “stand up and do their share” by the county executive. She remarked, “Where are their parents, I know it’s not a popular thing to ask, but it’s true. Where are the aunts, uncles, and other members of the family that should be looking out for them?”
Carjackings increased by 52% over the previous year, according to Alsobrooks. According to Alsobrooks, “armed and dangerous children” were responsible for more than half of the 350 carjackings this year. Of the carjackings, only 61 were carried out by adults.
The majority of young people who committed carjacking offences were repeat offenders, according to county data. According to Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz, 55 of the 84 young people detained for carjackings had previously been arrested.
The vast majority of young people in Prince George’s County, according to Aziz, are acting responsibly and leading fulfilling lives. “These are the outliers that are making our folks fear crime in our own neighborhoods so much,” one homeowner said.
According to Alsobrooks, August was the county’s bloodiest month in decades. Authorities looked into 24 killings in August and found that repeat criminals were committing more violent crimes. The county executive did note, however, that homicides are still down 15% from last year despite the increase in August.
