ST. LOUIS — School is out and summer is in full swing, but with that comes gun violence not just involving adults but teens too.
The City of St. Louis already has a curfew and is trying to give young people more things to do.
There are two main curfews on the books now:
One is for city parks: No one is allowed to be in the park between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The other curfew is for kids and teens: On Friday and Saturday they can't be out on the streets unsupervised between midnight and 5 a.m. For the rest of the week, teens can't be out between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Sharon Williams with St. Louis Moms Demand Action said people can always find a way around curfews.
“I think because we have so many teens who are unsupervised during the evening time, I don't think a curfew makes much of a difference,” Williams said.
In the current law, there are some exceptions. Teens or kids can be out past curfew if they are: with a parent, guardian or with someone over the age of 21; if they’re on the sidewalk where they live or next door, provided they are not creating a problem for police; and when they’re returning home from a school or city sponsored activity, religious activity or place of employment, provided they are going directly home and it is within an hour of when the activity ended.
Williams said it's difficult to know what's going on because teens plan things through social media.
“A lot of times the parents, or those who are the guardians, don't have any idea of what's being planned. So they are able to get together with older people whom they claim or a relative or responsible for them and it just makes it even harder,” Williams said.
The biggest question is, do curfews work? Saint Louis University Criminology and Criminal Justice Assistant Professor Kenya Brumfield Young said it's hard to know exactly how its enforced and the data tracking it is scarce.
“But from what is available, it doesn't, for several reasons, one of them is often behavior displacement. So they may go somewhere where the curfews look different or where there's not curfews, and also, these activities don't have boundaries,” Brumfield-Young said.
She said every year crime goes up in the summer for several reasons, one being that young people don't always have a safe, stable home. The shortage of officers in the city doesn't help either.
“We have a lot of young people who are either couch surfing, or they don't have somewhere to go, or there's not adequate supervision at home for whatever reason. So I go back to the Office of Violence Prevention which has really tried to bridge some of that,” Brumfield-Young said.
On Monday the city released the latest information on youth summer programs, job opportunities and even put more funding into the rec centers to keep them open late on the weekends.
“But if we don't have any effective measures in place for them to do things at the recreation sites, then it's just an open building,” Williams said.
To make these alternatives to crime work, the conversation can't be just between the adults. Brumfield-Young said the teens need a seat at the table.
“Ask them a bit more about what they want, and how they can see wanting to spend time with their friends and things like that, because that's really what a lot of it comes down to,” Brumfield-Young said.
Here is the information from St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones’ office on available programs this summer:
"The City’s Recreation Division offers youth programs that include learning to swim, dance programs, sports such as basketball, baseball, softball and soccer, and other fun activities like chess club and movie and game nights.
"For youths ages 13 and up, the City in partnership with the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission is expanding hours and programming at the Tandy and Cherokee recreation centers on Fridays and Saturdays between June 14 and Aug. 24, keeping the rec centers open from 8 p.m. to midnight.
"The summer outdoor pool season began on May 25, and the Chambers, Fairground, and Marquette pools are now open seven days a week from noon to 6 p.m. An adult must accompany children 13 and under. Youths aged 15 or older looking for a summer job are invited to apply for lifeguard positions.
"Even more summer employment opportunities can be found through the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment’s (SLATE) Summer Youth Employment Program. The program provides paid summer employment for City residents ages 14–24. Participants work in various clerical and assistant roles with government agencies, libraries, community organizations, for-profits, and nonprofits.
"Also this summer, the City’s Office of Violence Prevention will continue its monthly community Kickback events, which feature music, food, vendors and community partners who address conflict resolution and violence de-escalation. OVP also provides secure storage information and gun locks at the Kickback events, which take place on the third Saturday of every month. The next two events will be June 15 and July 20 from 2-6 p.m. at Barrett Brothers Park and 4731 Virginia Ave., respectively.
"The City also wants to highlight the wonderful opportunities for youths ages 0 to 17 to keep their bodies and minds fit this summer through the reading and exploration programs offered by the St. Louis Public Library and St. Louis County Public Library. Go on an adventure with a variety of activities focused on STEM, art, the outdoors, St. Louis, and reading, and receive a free book upon registration!"