City curfew law creates controversy

The city’s curfew law, passed last October, was meant to reduce crimes related to flash mob violence.

However, many months later, the law still remains controversial.

On Jan. 28, College senior Brian Goldman and his cab driver were attacked by teens in Center City. Goldman, a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist, called violent flash mobs a serious problem in the city.

Philadelphia’s current curfew law stipulates that unaccompanied children under 18 must be off the streets by 10 p.m. The bill proposing the law originally only included Center City and University City, but was modified and passed by Philadelphia City Council to include all areas in the city.

The curfew law was first instated due to flash mob violence in Center City and University City over the summer.

According to the Philadelphia Police Department, there have hardly been any negative reactions toward the curfew law. The law has instead been effective in crime reduction and has significantly reduced the issues of the past summer.

“We’ve seen a marked change in the behavior of these kids,” Lieutenant Ray Evers said. The city worked towards “giving [youth] other options to do at night,” he added. These included increased hours at recreation centers and the development of activities like bowling nights.

Penn’s Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said Penn “never had a great need to enforce [the curfew law].” Penn’s campus only had sporadic problems and never experienced a “phenomenon like in Center City,” she said.

Along with Philadelphia Police, Allied Barton security guards and University City District Police, DPS is still enforcing the law.

The curfew is currently being protested by members of Occupy Philadelphia and OccupyPenn.

Thomas Dichter, a graduate student in English, is a member of the Philadelphia anti-curfew committee — a group under Occupy Philadelphia.

Dichter called the law homophobic, racist and anti-youth. “Its intention is to keep affluent areas free of black, LGBT and low income youth. It’s an extra excuse to stop young-looking people on the street and to target youths of color.”

He hopes his committee, which was started last fall, will “provide a voice for the youth” by building a network and generate conversation.

“Studies have shown no effect on crime rate,” he said. The law is instead “counterproductive” and is “making youth feel less safe.”

The law criminalizes the youth, Dichter said. It was established due to the flash mob problems, but a very small number of youth were actually involved. “It’s really just scapegoating. You can’t solve this problem simply by making it a crime.”

He believes the problem could be eradicated by establishing more spaces for youth to be after hours. “The assumption that everyone can go home and that that’s the best place for them to be is a big assumption,” he said.

Dichter said the original jurisdiction that included only Center and University cities was “too embarrassingly racist and discriminatory.”

Peter McCarthy — a School of Social Policy and Practice graduate student — is another member of the Philadelphia anti-curfew campaign. “The curfew itself is a segregationist law,” he said.

McCarthy believes the curfew is being enforced in an area where children are primarily black. Most black youth are also impoverished youth, implicating class issues, he added.

The curfew law is being enforced in “an area where the commercial enterprise and white population are most concentrated.” The law is meant to appropriate “safe oasis of commercial concentration” by removing the people who can’t contribute to the area’s economy.

He hopes Penn will “realize their pivotal position in the community and the fact they aren’t really doing everything they say they’ll do to help the community.”

Dichter is calling on Penn students to oppose the bill. “This is being done [for Penn students] and keeping us safe from the youth and community around us,” he said.

The current jurisdiction will expire Dec. 15, 2013. Dichter’s goal is to assure it does not get renewed if it can’t get repealed beforehand.

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