Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to enforce the curfew law.
Central Idea: to get law makers, law enforcement, and parents to enforce the curfew law. Should there be a Curfew for youths to 16 years old in the State of Georgia? Yes there should be a curfew in the State of Georgia for youths to 16 years old.
According to 1007 juvenile crime statistics, 1700 juveniles were involved in 1400 murders that year, Seventy five percent of the murders happen after 9pm. This statics shows that if those juveniles were not after 9pm the murder rate for that year would have been cut by more than half. The statistics show that crimes committed by juveniles are most likely to occur between the hours 8pm and 12midnight.
There is a tremendous need in the State of Georgia to protect our families, to protect our kids, by enforcing a curfew program; according to ojjdp. cjrs. gov New Orleans has enacted one of the strictest curfew ordinances in the country, also reports significant decrease in juvenile crime since it’s curfew ordinance went into effect in May of 1994. The dusk –to-dawn curfew enacted in response to an escalating level of violent crime involving juveniles as both perpetrators and victims. It was influential in decreasing the incidence of youth crime arrests by 27% the year after the adoption, in that same period, armed robbery arrests decreased by 42%.
We as residents of the State of Georgia have the responsibility to protect our loved ones and neighbors as well. My call for action is for us as citizens along with lawmakers to enforce the curfew in the State of Georgia. We should implement a program that will have all youths under the age of 16 years old in the house before 9pm weekdays and 10 pm weekends. Effective curfew programs share several components; two of the keys of the success of any curfew ordinance are sustained enforcement and community involvement.
Other factors that contribute to the implementation of successful curfew policies include: Establishing a curfew center or using recreational, religious, or educational facilities to hold violators while they await their parent(s). Staffing centers with community social service providers and volunteers, providing intervention services for juveniles and their families.
Creating specific procedures for repeat offenders: recreational, educational, job opportunities for offenders, and anti drug and anti gang programs. Providing a hotline for community question curfews and programs related to curfews and juvenile delinquency in general. To refresh what I’ve talked about tonight I will like for us as a parent and a good friend means we have to enforce the rules and regulations that sometimes may seem too tough, but if it means the difference between keeping a young person out of trouble or alive this is a decision that have to be made. Having such a ordinance in place, teaches our youths to be more responsible and accountable for their actions.
