Did you know Mount Pleasant has a curfew ordinance for juveniles?

CURFEW HOURS:

(1) 11:00 p.m. on any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, until 6:00 a.m. the following day; and
(2) 12:01 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. on any Saturday or Sunday

So, what are the rules?

Any person less than 17 years of age:

(A) It’s unlawful for any minor to intentionally or knowingly remain, walk, run, stand, drive or ride about in or upon any public place in the city during curfew hours.
(B) It’s unlawful for the parent of a minor to knowingly permit, or by insufficient control, to allow such minor to remain, walk, run, stand, drive or ride about in or upon any public place in the city during curfew hours.
(C) It’s unlawful for the owner, operator, or any employee of an establishment in the city to knowingly allow a minor to enter or to remain upon the premises of the establishment during curfew hours.

Are there any exceptions to the curfew? YES.

(1) The minor was accompanied by his/her parent;
(2) The minor was accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older designated by his/her parent;
(3) The minor was on a lawful errand, without any detour or stop, made necessary by an emergency;
(4) The minor was attending an official school, religious, or other activity supervised by adults and sponsored by a governmental entity, a church, a civic organization or similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor; or going to or returning home from, without any detour or stop, an official school, religious, or other activity supervised by adults and sponsored by a governmental entity, a church, a civic organization, or another similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor;
(5) The minor was engaged in volunteer work at a recognized charity institution or a lawful employment activity, or going to or coming from such activity without detour or stop;
(6) The minor was, with parental consent, in a motor vehicle engaged in interstate travel beginning, ending, or passing through the city;
(7) The minor was on an errand at the direction of the minor's parent, without any detour or stop;
(8) The minor was on the property or the sidewalk directly adjacent to the minor's residence or the place immediately adjacent thereto if the owner or occupant of the adjacent building does not communicate an objection to the minor and the Police Department regarding the minor's presence;
(9) The minor was attending or traveling directly to or from an activity involving exercising First and Fourteenth Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution, including but not limited to the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly;
(10) The minor is married or had been married or had disabilities of minority removed in accordance Tex. Family Code Ch. 31; or
(11) The minor was following the direction of a peace officer.

The interests of a juvenile curfew ordinance in Mount Pleasant help in the following ways to protect juveniles:

1. Helping parents control their children by getting them home at a reasonable time
2. Protecting juveniles from criminal activity
3. Protecting juveniles from improper influences that may prevail during the curfew hours
4. Protecting the public from the criminal acts of juveniles

Since imposing the original curfew ordinance in 2009, the data shows the ordinance helps address juvenile problems related to late night criminal activities.

A juvenile curfew ordinance is just one crime reduction effort. Other influence factors include education, family values, religion, economic conditions, laws, youth programs and criminal justice interaction with youth. All these factors are vital in decreasing youth crimes and youth social issues.