Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Lewis wants to eliminate the city law that penalizes parents with jail time or fines if their children violate curfew.
Atlanta’s current 11 p.m. curfew ordinance applies to children ages 16 and under. However, city attorney Amber Robinson says the Municipal Court lacks jurisdiction over juveniles, so the penalties of violating curfew are typically applied to the child’s parents or guardians.
Under the current law, parents could spend 60 days in jail and face a $1,000 fine.
Lewis wants to replace that penalty. He recently introduced legislation that would instead sentence the parents of repeat curfew offenders to up to 60 days of probation. And as a special condition of probation, the parents would be court-ordered to take educational courses to address the specific circumstances surrounding the child’s behavior.
Lewis told his colleagues at Monday’s Public Safety Committee meeting that the city should require these parents to participate in community programs such as the Black Male Initiative or Mothers Against Violence. He said his proposal was inspired by 16-year-old Bre’Asia Powell, a Benjamin E. Mays High School sophomore who was fatally shot during a graduation party outside her school on May 28.
“We don’t want to send nobody to jail or charge them,” Lewis said Monday.
“But you got to understand, we’re losing kids,” Lewis added. “The little girls are no longer off limits in the city of Atlanta and that’s the reason why it’s time we enforce this change.”
The Atlanta Police Department says homicides are down 30% from this time last year, but authorities are still seeking the public’s help in curbing crime. At least 60 children and teenagers became gun violence victims in the city last year, and many of the incidents were fatal.
Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Sean Waites introduced an ordinance last year that would have increased the duration of the curfew by initiating the curfew at 7 p.m. instead of 11 p.m.
But on Monday, Waites told the public safety committee to indefinitely table her proposal. Instead, the committee OK’d walk-in legislation for a nonbinding resolution that would amend the start of curfew to 9 p.m.
The committee voted to move Lewis’ ordinance to the full council for approval. Both Lewis’ ordinance, and the curfew start time resolution, could get approval from the full council as early as next Tuesday’s meeting.
