Left In Lowell

SJC to review City ordinance

12 Responses to “SJC to review City ordinance”

1. Guy Fox Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 8:30 am

   What’s the old saying? Nothing good ever happens when your out after 2AM? The same can be said about kids out unsupervised by an adult after 11PM. Just drive by one of our parks this summer- you’ll see what I’m talking about. I live near one and trust me when I tell you- NOTHING productive is being done by unsupervised kids under 17 out after 11PM.

2. Shawn Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 9:57 am

   If this stupid SJC stops the curfew, I call on the Police to start filing 51A of neglect against the parents of all kids out unsupervised after 11 on the streets and parks in Lowell, and push them all up to CHINS cases.
   Load up the courts with cases they don’t want, and I bet they find a way to reimplement a curfew.

3. BPC Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 11:22 am

   Lynne
   “Although I consider myself a defender of civil liberties, I do not see any compelling reasons why someone 16 or under should have the right to walk around unaccompanied after 11:00 p.m. Where is he/she going? If they want to go to the movies, go to an earlier showing. The Globe’s article points out that the law is working and that the police does use discretion.”

   I would consider you to be a pretty weak excuse for a civil libertarian than. How about this? What business is it of the cities if I want to let my 16 year old walk around after 11? If they commit a crime, than arrest them, otherwise stay the hell out of the business of parenting.

   What if a teenager wants to walk to 7-11 to buy some popcorn? Should we check in with the police first before letting them go? As for the movies, again what business is it of yours or the cities what time I want to let my kids go to the movies?

   As for Shawn, you claim to be a conservative libertarian, but your first suggestion is for the State to file frivolous neglect charges against parents for, GASP! Letting their children out after 11 pm! Give me a break.

4. Maggie Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

   I have to agree with Shawn on this one. For the most part the police simply cart the kids home to their parents. For those who are known troublemakers, the CHINS is not a bad idea. Too many parents don’t pay attention to where their kids are; or in a few cases are afraid of them and their buddies. Most of the cases I hear on my scanner are kids hanging around for no reason at all. They do not seem to be grabbing the ones in transit.

5. innercitysurvivor Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 8:33 pm

   BPC… the city involves more than 120,000 people who DO have a say in what goes on in it, especially during late hours. The ordinance isn’t to harass 16 year olds walking to the store; it’s for smashed windows, slashed tires, B&E’s, street robberies and gang activity.

   You clearly don’t have a 16 year old and frankly, don’t sound like you ever had children. I love the 7/11 example too… the scene of 2 recent homicides and countless shootings! Who in their right mind would allow their kid to walk to 7-11 at 11 o’clock at night?

   How about…
   Non-English speaking immigrant parents lied to by their manipulative teens,

   Parents who have given up combating their rebellion,

   Single parents, who either don’t care, have substance abuse problems or work nights,

   And Civil libertarians… there’s a growing crowd of people in this city out of touch & in desperate need of a police ride along, you my friend are among them.

6. K-R-S Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 9:00 pm

   Working in a neighborhood where there has been sig. gang activity and having done drive throughs late in the evening and worked nights in the area, I am wholeheartedly behind an ordinance that empowers the LPD to keep the troublemakers off the street. No good can come out of being on the street at that age in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, the parents seem not to care or unaware, of what their children are doing. Unfortunately, their childrens’ activities have a costly impact to the areas they roam.

7. BPC Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 10:15 pm

   “BPC… the city involves more than 120,000 people who DO have a say in what goes on in it, especially during late hours. The ordinance isn’t to harass 16 year olds walking to the store; it’s for smashed windows, slashed tires, B&E’s, street robberies and gang activity.”

   All of those things are already crimes. If children do any of them they can already be arrested. I don’t like the police having arbitrary power to arrest someone for walking down the street at night.

   As for the 7-11 example, I was thinking of the one in Pawtucketville, where I would walk to at night when I was a lot younger than 16.

   As for the police ride along, I grew up in the Acre, what part of the “inner city” are you from?

   My only point, which you soccer moms don’t seem to understand, is that the Police can already arrest kids who do any of the things you’re complaining about. While it’s probably true that a lot of kids out at that time are up to no good, many more are doing nothing more dangerous than eating junk food. Do we really need to criminalize everything?

8. Mimi Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 10:56 pm

   BPC:

   First, I wrote the post, not Lynne. So don’t get mad at her, get mad at me. Second, I am not a soccer mom.

   I think you forgot what was happening in Lowell when this ordinance was discussed and approved by the City Council. As I said, kids killing kids.

9. Shawn Says:
   March 12th, 2009 at 6:07 am

   I think you forgot what was happening in Lowell when this ordinance was discussed and approved by the City Council. As I said, kids killing kids.

   And they cycle is starting again.. better to keep it under control.

   BPC: Conservative Libertarian is a label someone else placed on me, I haven’t analyzed it so I let it go.

   But if you think this is the first move I have done in terms of dealing with city children.. you’ve got some research to do.

10. Lynne Says:
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:56 am

    BPC, clean it up, you can disagree without becoming disagreeable.

11. innercitysurvivor Says:
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:47 pm

    BPC… I grew up in the lower highlands, so you’ll of course understand the “Acre” tag doesn’t pull much weight with me. Like Shawn, I’m also not a soccer mom. I’m a detective for Lowell PD, so I’m as innercity as it gets.

    Who incidentally, lives in Pawtucketville and that 7/11 area you reference? Let’s just say… not actually god’s country anymore.

    I respect the premise of your political perspective, the least intrusion the better. However there’s no good reason to leave the middle on this. Take this for what you think its worth. If the ordinance tossed, it really won’t be that big of a deal. It isn’t even regularly employed… there were only (15) total incidents since 2005, including (2) last year. It’s the threat that’ll be lost.

    AS IN when we were kids… cops called your parents = your butt. It exists for some kids, just not as dangerous a prospect as it once was. LOL. For many however, there’s no real fear from mom or dad and it’ll just be one less tool to combat youth violence.

12. Maggie Says:
    March 19th, 2009 at 4:03 pm

    I am now more in favor of a curfew than ever. Last Saturday - our next door neighbors held a birthday party for their i yr-old son, There were cars all over the street - but there was very little noise and everyone was gone (and quietly) by 11:30 pm. In direct contrast - people ( mostly young men ) began arriving at the house across the street by 12:00 am . By 1:30 we had had enough and called the police. They came fairly fast and began to break up the “party” . They sent away at least 35 young people ( most appearing to be teens) from a small 5 room cottage. I have no idea how they all fit in there. After the police left a few more emerged from wherever they were hiding and took off. The officers appeared to recognize some of the kids which tells me they could be repeat offenders. I sincerely hope that the SJC backs up the curfew as I do not want to deal with this during the summer when the windows will be open.

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