This webpage provides a review of literature on youth curfews, providing definitions of curfew laws or ordinances, analyzing their intended goals and how they are applied at the local level, and providing detailed data on youth curfew violations.
This literature review on nighttime youth curfews and their application and consequences, summarizes the research available on the effectiveness of curfews in improving public safety, reducing delinquent activity and victimization, and maintaining parental authority, and it discusses gaps in the available research. The Definitions section defines the terms related to youth curfews and the juvenile justice system mechanisms that can be used when curfews are violated. The next section discusses the history, purpose, and theory underlying youth curfew laws. The next section, Juvenile Arrests and Court Petitions for Violating Curfew Laws, provides data on juvenile arrests and court petitions for curfew law violations. The review also discusses racial disparities related to youth curfew laws, and legal challenges of youth curfews. The review continues with a section on Outcome Evidence, noting the impact of youth curfews on crime-related outcomes. The review notes several gaps in the research regarding youth curfews, specifically highlighting that most research was conducted in the late 1990s and early 2000s, or with curfew policies that were implemented in the 1990s; it suggests that there is need for evaluation of more modern curfew laws; and recommends more rigorous study designs for future research.