Why Have A Juvenile Curfew? Statistics show that the ordinance of curfew is effective in meeting its purpose - to protect juveniles and other persons during the night time hours, to aid in crime prevention, and to decrease juvenile crime rates. What are penalties for breaking curfew? That depends on the law; each one is different. In some cases the police will simply give a warning, others will make the youth return home, in other cases there may be a fine or jail time involved. For example, in St. Louis, MO curfew violators face up to $500 in fines and 90 days in jail. In some cases parents face penalties when their children are out past curfew as well. In St. Louis if a young person has been picked up for curfew and taken to the police station the parents must pick him or her up from the station within 45 minutes or face penalties of up to $500 in fines and 90 days in jail.1 What are daytime curfews? In addition to laws that make it a crime to be outside at night, there are also laws that make it a crime to be out during the day. Usually during school hours. The city of Los Angeles has a curfew making it illegal for anyone under 18 in school to be in public between the hours of 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM. 2 Does my city have a curfew? Possibly, youth curfews are spreading in cities and states all across the country. Please visit this list to see if you are included. Due to the rapid expansion of curfew laws in the last few years, our list may not be complete, but it's the best we've seen. You can help add to our list by providing us information on your cities' curfew law. Do curfews cut down on youth crime? No. Supporters of youth curfews cite only anecdotal and incidental data; the only true study on the effectiveness of youth curfews at reducing crime showed it had no effect. Researchers Mike A. Males and Dan McAllister said, "Statistical analysis does not support the claim that curfew and other status enforcement reduces any type of juvenile crime, either on an absolute (raw) basis or relative to adult crime rates. The consistency of results of these three different kinds of analysis of curfew laws point to the ineffectiveness of these measures in reducing youth crime."3 In fact curfew laws may even lead to increased crime: "The current available data provides no basis to the belief that curfew laws are an effective way for communities to prevent youth crime and keep young people safe. On virtually every measure, no discernable effect on juvenile crime was observed. In fact, in many jurisdictions serious juvenile crime increased at the very time officials were toting the crime reduction effects of strict curfew enforcement."3 Lets think about this rationally. Curfew laws are intended to stop young people from committing crimes by making them stay inside. If a person intends to commit a crime by stealing a car, vandalizing a home, or deal drugs why would they have any respect for another law that made it illegal to be outside? Aren't laws against auto-theft, property damage, and drug dealing enough? Curfews don't affect crime and only hurt innocent youth, repeal them. Should 5 year olds be free to roam the street at 4 in the morning? That's a family decision. Parents should be able to set curfews, not government. Parents know their children far better than an impersonal law, and should be given the discretion to parent. If curfew laws are repealed, kids will be more likely to defy their parent's curfews, seeing that the government no longer is concerned about this issue, right? There are no laws against yelling in the house, running with scissors or pulling hair but parents manage to handle these issues just fine. Why do parents need police to back them up when setting curfews? As the experience of Prince George's county Maryland shows, often parents don't even know about the curfew law, "despite a number of public service announcements and the distribution of 40,000 brochures to middle- and high-school students to educate them about the curfew, awareness of the curfew is not universal among parents -- only three in four parents of teenagers knew of it." 4 Don't curfew laws help the police fight crime? Police are split on this issue. The creation of a substantially broad crime to allow the ability to stop and question all individuals under a certain age is a tool for police, and a way to get around individual rights. Many other officers however feel curfew laws create a drain on police time and resources, forcing them not only to serve and protect, but also to parent. With murderers and rapists loose on the street, making sure Billy isn't out to late should not be a police priority. Are curfews racist? Not inherently, but usually they turn out to be. Curfew laws give a great amount of discretion to police officers, which for reasons we won't get into here, often leads to racist enforcement of curfew laws. Curfew laws are heavily enforced in black neighborhoods, but not as much in white neighborhoods. Likewise white youth are less likely to be stopped by police than black youth. Because of this, the rate of arrest for blacks in 2000 was 71% higher than that for whites. 5 Curfew hours target the period of highest youth crime, right? No, nighttime and daytime curfews don't cover the stretch of time most juvenile crime occurs - the afternoon. According to the FBI "Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are most at risk of committing violent acts and being victims between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m."6 These are times that no curfew laws cover. Curfews only exist in places with high rates of juvenile crime, curfew laws aren't introduced baselessly, right? Wrong. In response to a grisly string of murders in Manning, South Carolina, the city council proposed a youth curfew in response.7 The problem however was the criminal suspect was 37-years-old and the proposed youth curfew would have had no effect whatsoever on the murders that shocked this small town. The experience of Manning is not unusual. Communities choose to enact curfew laws that have no problems with youth crime whatsoever. In fact except for the elderly, juvenile crime makes up the lowest proportion of crime altogether.8 So if adults commit 75-90% of all crime, where is the urgent need for curfew laws to protect society from violent youth? Don't curfew laws protect young people from being victimized by criminals; shouldn't youth be glad such laws protect them? If young people were concerned about violent criminals they would stay inside voluntarily, no law would be needed. This line of reasoning is only correct if applied to all people at risk of being attacked by criminals. Of course all people are at risk of crime, if protecting innocent people from crime were a legitimate concern then all people regardless of age would clamor for, and accept curfews governing their lives. Would a requirement that all U.S. residents be inside by 11 pm free the country of all crime? Are curfew laws unconstitutional? There have been many court challenges to curfew laws around the nation and so far courts are split on this issue. With no US Supreme Court ruling on the issue, there is no easy answer to offer. In general, lower courts recognize that curfews impose restrictions to the 1st Amendment right of free speech, and have struck down many laws that impose to heavy a burden on the exercise of youth's free speech rights. These same courts will often uphold curfew laws once exceptions have been written to allow for political protests. The narrow interpretation of 1st Amendment rights is a tragedy and ultimately ignores the more pressing liberty rights at issue. Curfew laws are also deemed to be constitutional if they serve a compelling state interest, in this case the reduction of juvenile crime. However as no study has shown curfews in fact reduce crime this assertion is false. With no compelling state interest, NYRA strongly asserts curfew laws are unconstitutional and must be struck down. Curfew laws often have exceptions if the person is coming home from work, or in an emergency what else would a youth want to be out at night for? In a free country it is not our place to decide what is appropriate for our neighbor to do or not do. Freedom doesn't require proof to justify one's decisions. If a teen wants to take a stroll and gaze at the moon, that's her decision. If a teen feels its too hot during the day and prefers jogging at night or early in the morning, that's his decision. If a teen wants to go to the park and count blades of grass at 3 in the morning, from what harm do we suffer? Freedom is not the result of exceptions to the law; the laws are the exceptions to freedom. What can I do to help fight curfews? We're glad you asked. NYRA has provided for you a resource with lots of information on what you can do to fight curfews in your area. Print out stickers, start a NYRA chapter, hold a protest, and of course let the media know. Check out NYRA's anti-curfew action site to start a campaign against your curfew. Since NYRA is one of the top organizations fighting curfews, joining the organization is a good step against curfews. Q: Where will the police officer take my child if he/she is picked up for a curfew violation? A: A police officer who has reasonable cause to believe that a minor is in violation of the curfew regulations may release the minor to his or her parent or legal guardian either at the scene of the detention, at the minor's permanent or temporary home, at the police department, or elsewhere at the direction of the parent or legal guardian. Q: Can I be Fined? A: After a first violation, the Police Department will send the parent or legal guardian a letter notifying them that they may be fined for a subsequent violation. For a second violation, the parent or legal guardian may be billed at a rate of $85 per hour for the actual detention and transportation of the minor. Q: Are there other consequences? A: The juvenile may also be cited into municipal court. Upon adjudication, the judge, referee, or hearing officer may do any of the following: * Reprimand the minor and take no further action. * Refer the matter to Juvenile Probation. * Direct the Probation Department to place the minor on supervised probation. * Order the minor to pay a fine not to exceed $250. * Any combination of the above. * The minor may also be assigned to a work detail by the Police Department Youth Services Unit. Q: Could my child be placed with other law violators? A: No. The law prohibits status offenders, such as curfew violators or truants, from being mixed with adults or juveniles arrested for robbery, assault or other criminal offenses. What’s the good news about parenting teens? How do I know if my teen is using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs? How do I know if my teen is depressed or just being moody? I think my child is sexually active. Will encouraging him/her to go to the doctor to talk about contraceptives encourage them to continue to have sex? What changes can you expect when your child becomes a teen? How can I monitor my kids when I am working? Do peers have more influence than I do with my teen? Why does everything have to be a battle? My teen's other parent has a different parenting style and different house rules. How can this be managed? My son comes home after his curfew, even when we threaten to take away his keys. What can I do? How do I prepare my teen to enter middle school or high school? My normally talkative 12-year-old doesn’t talk any more. Should I be concerned? What’s the good news about parenting teens? Believe it or not, the teen years are good years. They are some of the most physically healthy years of human life. This is a time for you to create lasting connections with your teen. How? There are many options available that you may not have considered earlier in your child’s life: * take a class together – try dog obedience, beading or a cooking class * join a book club * cook a meal together * share a subscription to a favorite teen magazine and talk about one article Contrary to the popular image of teens throwing wild parties and doing battle with parents, most parents and teens navigate “teenhood” quite well—with relatively few problems. You are the main influence in your teen’s life. While you may not feel as though you have as much control over your teen’s actions, they are still paying attention to what you say and do. You are their guide. Your values do matter. How do I know if my teen is using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs? Adolescence is a time when young people test limits, challenge authority and discover who they are. Detecting substance use can be difficult because changes in your teen’s mood, temper and attitude as well as changes in sleep habits or interest in friends and hobbies are common during these years. While it is difficult to distinguish typical adolescent behavior from drug induced behavior, you should look for dramatic changes in these areas: * negative changes in schoolwork over 2 or 3 terms, * happy, cheerful, talkative and full of energy followed by unusual, sudden mood changes including becoming sullen, lethargic, swearing and anger * increased secrecy * increased use of perfumes, room deodorizers or incense * new friends * borrowing money for unexplained reasons * evidence of drug paraphernalia (e.g. pipes and rolling papers) * new use of mouthwash (covers the smell of alcohol) or eye drops (hides dilated pupils) Pay special attention to signs of tobacco use. The average age of first use of tobacco is 12-years-old. Tobacco is a “gateway” drug—many studies have shown that children who use tobacco are significantly more likely to experiment with alcohol and other drugs. If you have concerns, it is really important to talk with your teen. Be very clear about your expectations that he/she not use tobacco or alcohol and does not use illicit drugs or misuse prescription drugs. It is important to set clear ground rules in the family about your expectations and make sure your children know that you will enforce these rules. If you suspect your teen is using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, confront all symptoms of impairment. Contact your health care provider, insurance company or call First Call for Help at 211 to find a provider in your community who specializes in chemical dependency issues and treatment. These providers are health care professionals, trained and certified to help people who abuse substances. Parenting for Prevention, by David J. Wilmes, is a guide that will help to raise your teen to say no to drugs and alcohol before problems arise. For additional information go to http://www.emprc.org or http://www.theantidrug.com. How do I know if my teen is depressed or just being moody? It is normal for teens to experience mood changes due to hormonal swings. However if your teen experiences depressive symptoms for more than two consecutive weeks, it is time to seek professional support. Symptoms can include sadness, trouble sleeping, feeling tired all of the time, angry, moody, crying easily, complaints of boredom, avoiding or having conflicts with friends, loss of interest in activities, etc. Often they become unusually irritable or aggressive, or previously “good kids” now get into trouble. Other teens that used to be social and outgoing may become quiet and withdrawn. Adolescent depression is a serious mental health concern, affecting one in four young people. If you have concerns that your child may be suffering from depression, it is critical that you contact your family physician or other mental health care provider. Most important to remember is that teenage depression can be managed effectively and when teens receive treatment the future can be filled with promise, rather than despair. For more information go to http://www.save.org. I think my child is sexually active. Will encouraging him/her to go to the doctor to talk about contraceptives encourage them to continue to have sex? This is not the time to avoid the issue. Have an honest conversation with your teen and explain your values and concerns about their being sexually active. If you suspect your child is sexually active, you need to be sure they have the knowledge and access to health care to stay healthy and avoid pregnancy. The goal of this conversation is to send your teen a message about responsible sexual behavior. This includes abstinence, use of contraceptives and preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If your child shares that he/she is sexually active, it is okay to express your concerns about potential consequences. It is important to have a frank discussion about preventing pregnancy and STIs. It is important that your teen, if sexually active, be tested for STIs and choose an effective method of contraception. Explain to your child that he/she can make an appointment with your family physician or can go to a reproductive health care clinic specifically serving young people. Add that you are willing to help make the appointment or are willing to go with them to the appointment. If your teen asks you to come with to the appointment, you could also offer to sit in the waiting while he/she visits with the doctor. For more information go to http://www.moappp.org or http://www.neahin.org/canwetalk/. What changes can you expect when your child becomes a teen? The teen years are some of the most healthy years in the human life, but they are also the ones when teenagers undergo a variety of changes. These changes include: * physical and sexual maturity * a growing circle of peers or romantic relationships * distancing themselves emotionally from parents and other close family members * de-idolizing parents and seeing them as having faults * questioning parents’ values * wanting more of the family resources * establishing their own identity and life goals While these changes are happening, it is normal for teens to: * misread others’ body language * be territorial * respond with anger * be moody * be aggressive * be impulsive * act before thinking about consequences Research on teen brain development helps us understand "why kids do the things they do." For instance, it may not be that your child is being disrespectful or disregarding your requests it may simply be that your expectations have "evaporated" in their immature brain. We also know that the teenage brain get easily over-stimulated and can very easily "tune out" others— especially their parents. The biggest concerns during this time are the risky behaviors that teens may choose. See questions on signs of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and sexual activity. And remember, normal teen development also takes its toll on parents as you adjust to these changes. Be sure to take care of yourself—physically and mentally—and seek support when needed. For more information, read Why do they Act That Way? A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by David Walsh, Ph.D. or visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/teenbrain.cfm. How can I monitor my kids when I am working? It is important to continue to monitor your teen when you are out of the home. Knowing where your teen is, especially In the evenings and on weekends is very important because these are times when teens are most likely to experiment with risky behavior. Other parents and professionals have several suggestions for monitoring your teens: * enroll them in an after school activity or community program that is in line with their current interests or offers something new for them to learn * set up clear expectations for what your teen needs to do after arriving home from school * establish clear guidelines for having friends in the house when you are not home * establish a check-in system for your teen to call from a home phone at a certain time * check-in with neighbors to see if your teen has arrived home Many families successfully assign the “monitoring” of younger children to older teens. This gives older teens a task that will occupy their time. You should also consider establishing rules or limits about what media choices are appropriate for your teen and enforce these limits by installing filters or blocks on the internet or television channels. For more information go to http://www.wiredsafety.org. Most important, keep the relationship with your teen strong. When you and your teen have an emotional connection, your teens will be more likely to consider your rules and values when they are in situations where they could make bad choices. Do peers have more influence than I do with my teen? No, you are the major influence on your teen’s beliefs and behaviors throughout the teen years and young adulthood, provided you have a strong connection with your teen. For example: * your teen will not choose a peer group randomly and not all peer groups are bad * your teen will tend to choose friends who have values similar to their family * there tends to be some experimentation with peer group choice, this is a normal process of ‘trying on’ different identities * peers are a big influence on clothing, activities, & style—the focus is on “fitting in” * parents are a major influence on the values and life decisions teens make A key to maintaining your influence with your teen is getting to know your teen’s friends and their parents. You should also make it a priority to eat at least one meal together each week, stay connected to your teen through daily conversations and set the expectation that your teen participate in family functions or celebrations. For more information visit http://www.casacolumbia.org/supportcasa/item.asp?cID=12&PID=141 to read about the importance of family dinners or visit http://www.tricitypartners.org/alcohol/conversationstarters.htm to find conversation starters for busy families. Why does everything have to be a battle? Here, it may be best to use the adage, an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” By establishing guidelines for things like teen clothing, hairstyles, body piercing or tattoos, you may successfully avoid some battles. Also, you should consider the “non-negotiable” and clearly state these expectations to your teen. Non-negotiable might include no drinking, no driving or riding in a vehicle with a driver who has been drinking, not opening the door for strangers, and not getting into a car with strangers. While it is great to prevent as many things as possible, there are times when battles just cannot be predicted. In these cases, you should consider strategies to help you cope with disagreements and keep them from escalating into major power struggles: * stay calm and remember you are in charge – you are the adult * don’t engage in power struggles about how to think and who is right * focus on the important issues of health and safety * model the language and tone of voice you expect from your teen * ignore the small stuff Finally, don’t take it personally. It is common for teens to question rules and values. One lesson they learn by questioning you is to stand up for themselves in a safe place—at home. This teaches them the skills to stand up for themselves outside the home and to say no to things they don’t like. My teen's other parent has a different parenting style and different house rules. How can this be managed? Different parents, different rules. This may happen even if parents are still together. Parents can’t expect that they will react the same in all situations. Unless the rule or lack of one is harmful to the child, the children should know that when they are with you, they obey your rules. When they’re with their other parent, his/her rules apply. It is healthy for teens to learn to adapt their behavior to different situations. Yet, different parenting styles can cause conflict between parents. While it is best to have conversations with your teen’s other parent to determine similar rules and expectations across households, this is not always possible. Keep in mind you can only control your own parenting style and that your child will do better if at least one parent uses a positive parenting style. Your teen needs you to: * love them unconditionally * set rules and have high expectations for their behavior * monitor their activities and friends * be a role model for how to deal with conflict, stress and communication in your relationship with the other parent For more information go to http://www.parenting.umn.edu or http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/families/BE713.html. My son comes home after his curfew, even when we threaten to take away his keys. What can I do? Check the curfew laws in your community See Shoulder To Shoulder's Resources section and share them with your teen. Let them know there are actual laws that will result in consequences if they don’t follow the rules (e.g. receiving a ticket, having parent(s) called to pick them up, etc.). If you are concerned that the times for local curfews are later than your expectations, check with the parents of your teen’s friends to see what their curfew rules are and how they compare to yours. If you discover they are different, figure out when you can extend the curfew and when you can’t. For example a late movie or an agreement that your teen check in to let you know where they are and when they expect to be home. If these rules aren’t followed, make sure you have communicated consequences to your teen and follow through with the consequences – taking keys away, grounding, losing a privilege. The following story illustrates what one mom and dad did to enforce their household’s rules: “With our son, Patrick, going off to college in the fall, my husband and I decided we wanted to ‘test’ his judgment and common sense before he started living independently. We did this by removing his curfew for the summer. However, we did have the following expectations: he needed to be reasonable in determining his hours, he needed to let us know when he planned to be home, he needed to call if he was going to be significantly later than planned, and he needed to check in with us when arriving home. Things were going fairly well until Patrick decided to test the boundaries one Sunday night. He got caught up in a movie he was watching at a friend’s house and lost track of time. Five minutes before he planned to be home, Patrick called saying he would now be coming home at 1 a.m. At 1:30 a.m. my husband and I woke up wondering if Patrick had come home. Perhaps we were too sleepy to remember him checking in with us. I got up and looked for Patrick and his car. Neither was home. We were upset that our sleep had been disrupted but were also concerned that something might have happened to Patrick. My husband decided not to call him on his cell phone. He wanted to let the situation play out and see how Patrick would behave. Since we lived in a fairly quite neighborhood, we rarely found it necessary to lock our doors at night. This habit turned out to be to our advantage on this particular evening. Instead of going back to sleep we locked the house and garage doors and waited. At 2:45 a.m. we heard Patrick’s car pull into the driveway. We heard him trying to get into the house (since we rarely locked the house, Patrick did not have a key to open the door). Then the phone rang. It was Patrick saying we had made a mistake and locked him out. After confirming that he was fine and had simply used poor judgment, we decided to let Patrick experience disrupted sleep by having him sleep in his car the rest of the night. We didn’t have another curfew problem for the rest of summer!” How do I prepare my teen to enter middle school or high school? School connectedness is associated with better emotional health, higher academic goals and performance, as well as less risk-taking behaviors. To make a connection between your child and his/her school, there are several things you can do: * visit the new school, attend the open house, meet the administrators and teachers, walk through the building, accompany your child to practice unlocking the locker, finding the gym locker room, cafeteria, etc. * listen to your adolescent’s concerns and validate that change is hard * verbally “walk through” the first day of school and anticipate possible challenges and role play solutions your teen can use * be clear that attending school is important – this is a firm and non-negotiable rule * emphasize that school is more important than employment, sports or other extra curricular activities * keep in touch with school by attending parent-teacher conferences * know your teens’ class schedules and pay attention to their grades * make homework part of the family routine by creating space, time and the expectation that homework is completed Check in with your teen. Ask how he/she is navigating the new school. Help him/her identify the things that are going well and address emerging problems/challenges. It is also very important to get to know your teen’s teachers and school counselor, so that if you have concerns, you’ll be more at ease when asking for help. My normally talkative 12-year-old doesn’t talk any more. Should I be concerned? Not necessarily. Becoming more private and keeping thoughts and feelings to themselves is common in adolescence, especially for boys. Here are some things you can do to increase communication between you and your teen: * find and use regular times, like riding in the car, to be together with just you and your teen * listen – don’t interrupt * let your teen take the lead in bringing up concerns – don’t do “the inquisitor” with your teen upon immediate arrival home from school or an event * be available by stating, “You can always talk to me when you’re ready” * open the conversation by asking: “Tell me about it…” “What do you think…?” “How would you do that…?” “Feel like talking…?” You should also know that you aren’t alone. In a study conducted in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, parents of teens stated that communication is simultaneously one of their biggest challenges, as well as something they would most like to improve. See Shoulder To Shoulder's Research section Teens really want to be heard, but parental opinions and advice can get in the way. The keys are: being available when they want to talk and learning to listen. (Please note, you should be concerned if the behavior is new or dramatically different from what you’ve previously experienced. If this is the case, you should consider other important health issues such as use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs or depression. See frequently asked questions on these topics.) What are Curfew Laws? We've all had experience with curfews: as the teenager rushing out of the house, or as the parent calling out "Be home by midnight!" But in legal terms, curfews are more than just house rules that can result in a firm "You're grounded!" if violated. Curfews are also laws that effectively prohibit or limit the right to be out in public at certain times, or in some cases, require businesses to close their doors during certain hours. There are three main types of curfew laws: juvenile curfew laws, emergency curfew laws, and business curfew laws. These are explained in more detail below. Juvenile Curfew Laws Juvenile curfew laws are typically enacted at the state and local level, and prohibit people of a certain age (usually under 18) from being in public or in a business establishment during certain hours (such as between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.). Goals behind these laws are frequently cited as maintenance of social order, and prevention of juvenile crime. More information on Juvenile Curfew Laws: * Juvenile Curfew Laws - The Basics * Legal Challenges to Juvenile Curfew Laws * Examples of Juvenile Curfew Laws and Penalties * Juvenile Curfew Laws in the 25 Most Populous U.S. Cities Emergency Curfew Laws Emergency curfews are usually temporary orders that are put in place -- by federal, state, or local government -- in response to a particular crisis, like a natural disaster or ongoing civil disturbance. A few examples of emergency curfews: * In August 2008, the city of New Orleans instituted an emergency "dusk to dawn" curfew as Hurricane Gustav approached the Gulf Coast. * In September 2008, Houston instituted a midnight-to-6:00a.m. curfew as the city sought to clean up debris and repair power outages due to Hurricane Ike. * In April 1992, authorities in Los Angeles imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and deployed the National Guard to help quell city-wide civil disturbances, after the acquittal of LAPD officers involved in the beating of Rodney King. A city's laws may give the mayor the express power to take certain curfew-related actions in response to a local emergency. For example, the New York City Administrative Code authorizes the mayor of New York City to order curfews "including, but not limited to, the prohibition of or restrictions on pedestrian and vehicular movement, standing and parking, except for the provision of designated essential services such as fire, police and hospital services including the transportation of patients thereto, utility emergency repairs and emergency calls by physicians." Business Curfews Some cities have enacted business curfew laws that require businesses in densely-populated and/or high-crime areas to close during late-night hours, i.e. from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Typically, businesses curfews do not apply to late-night pharmacies and bars, but are applicable to restaurants, liquor stores, and other establishments where people may gather. Like juvenile curfew laws, often a city's business curfew law will remain on the books but be enforced only periodically, usually as a law enforcement response to an increased incidence of local crime and violence.