Students on Curfew: ‘Told You So’

A police report on a two-year curfew designed to curb youth crime concluded that it was ineffective, but San Fernando Valley high school students offered harsher evaluations Tuesday:

Useless, pointless and invasive, to name a few.

“It’s just harassment,” said Traci Muzila, a senior at Stoney Point High School in Chatsworth, who, along with seven friends, recently was cited when she left a party after the curfew hour of 10 p.m.

“We have to pay money for being out when your parents are OK with it.”

Two years ago, the Los Angeles Police Commission and the City Council ordered the curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. for those under 18.

The police report, submitted to the council Monday, showed that 3,600 officer-hours have been devoted to enforcement and 4,800 citations have been issued.

But unlike the daytime truancy law--which has been credited with reducing burglary, shoplifting and car break-ins by 20% to 40%--the the nighttime curfew has failed to reduce violent crime, the report says.

Tuesday, in a corner of the outdoor volleyball court at Stoney Point High, Muzila dominated the conversation by a group of girls.

“Only one of us paid,” she said of the eight girls cited. “The other seven did not pay and they don’t even have warrants. What does that tell you?”

“It’s a waste of time,” Kim Borst, 17, said. “I think it’s pointless. We’re going to go out anyway.”

Students saw practical flaws in the law.

Jarvis Brown, 18, a Granada Hills High senior, was recently walking home from his supermarket job when police picked him up and drove him to the station. After the officers confirmed he had been at work, they drove him home.

“People warned me” about possibly getting questioned by police, Brown said.

Other parent-sanctioned activities also keep teenagers out late.

“They usually stop you after football games. We go to Denny’s and they try to bust you right there,” said Jory Goldberg, 17, who plays on the Granada Hills High team.

Police stopped him and his friends as they left a movie theater about 12:30 one night, he said. “They told us to go home and don’t stop anywhere.”

Other students say the curfew, which allows officers to question those they view as suspicious, helps prevent crime.

Beatriz Esqueda, 17, a senior at San Fernando High School, said: “I think the streets are safer. I’ve noticed when I go out with my parents. You don’t see as many gangsters.”

“Why do you have to be out that late?” said Luis De La Rosa, 17, also of San Fernando High School.

“If you’re 18 or younger, your first concern should be school,” said classmate Gus Lomeli, 17.

Some educators view the curfew as one way to help students perform better at school.

“To my way of thinking, it certainly has to help if you have some kids that say, ‘Geez, I have to get home,’ ” said Charles Close, Stoney Point High principal. “If they are staying out of trouble, they tend to be more productive in school.”

Other community leaders, however, said the disappointing results of the curfew were to be expected.

“I am not surprised by the results of the study,” said Marqueece Dawson, director of youth programs for the Community Coalition of South-Central Los Angeles. Tightening restrictions on the freedoms of young people has always proven ineffective, he said.

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Times staff writer Daniel Yi contributed to this story.