Mayor Nutter Alters Curfew for Philadelphia Minors

In a press conference this afternoon, Mayor Michael Nutter unveiled the city’s plan to combat the recent wave of flash-mob violence. Friday and Saturday night curfew for minors in Center City and University City will now be 9 p.m. Other strategies include extending hours at youth community centers to 10 p.m., enlisting volunteers to increase eyes on the streets during weekends, increasing the number of police officers in certain areas of the city, and enforcing new and existing curfews in all sections of the city.

Mayor Nutter also outlined plans to fine parents for minors who repeatedly break curfew and said that he intends to revisit the curfew structure during City Council’s fall session. Parents will be issued warnings the first time their child is caught breaking curfew and will face increased fines for each time thereafter. If parents do not pick up their children who have been caught breaking curfew and/or participating in violent acts, the parents may be fined and taken to court and charged with neglect.