The Metro: Expert says curfew penalties don’t work
Detroit fines parents of teenagers who stay out past curfew hours without adult supervision in an effort to deter crime. Experts argue this approach doesn’t work and that it could cause more hardship for families.
Caitlin Cavanagh is a developmental psychologist who teaches in the school of criminal justice at Michigan State University.
Three teenagers and a four-year-old were killed in a string of deadly shootings in Detroit during the summer. In response, Mayor Duggan and Police Chief Todd Bettison announced plans to ramp up enforcement of the city’s curfew policy and more than double the penalty fees.
The city fines parents of teenagers who stay out past curfew hours without adult supervision. Officials say fines will encourage parents to step up and help reduce the violence, but experts argue this approach doesn’t work and that it could cause more hardship for families.
Caitlin Cavanagh is a developmental psychologist who teaches in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. She recentaly wrote a piece in The Conversation, “Detroit parents face fines if their children break curfew − research shows the policy could do more harm than good.” She joined the show to discuss the impact of the fines and potential alternative solutions.
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