Several cities in North Carolina are implementing or considering expanding curfews for minors. Their goal is to reduce juvenile crime rates and clandestine gatherings in the streets. But does a curfew work? Let’s look at the experience of one North Carolina city.
While Raleigh is debating whether to implement a curfew for minors, Winston-Salem is temporarily enforcing one (through October) from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and Charlotte is seriously considering establishing a universal and stricter 9:00 p.m. curfew for everyone under 18; a year ago, Fayetteville had already experimented with this ordinance.
A Curfew for Minors That Fines Parents
In July 2025, the Fayetteville City Council approved a pilot program prohibiting minors from remaining in public places between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. In fact, parents of minors 16 years old or younger could face fines of up to $500 if their children violate the curfew ordinance, with certain exceptions.
The decision came after an increase in gun violence involving young people. The incidents included shootings near the Dogwood Festival and a shooting that left a 12-year-old girl injured.
At the time, the approval sparked intense debate among city residents: those who criticized the measure warned of potential cases of racial profiling and increased interactions between young people and police. Supporters argued that the city needed to respond to episodes of violence.
Mayor Mitch Colvin defended the initiative as a measure to protect young people rather than restrict them.
What Happened After a Year of the Curfew?
Fayetteville Police Chief Roberto Bryan presented first-quarter data for 2026 showing more police encounters with minors, but fewer charges than during the same period in 2025.
There were 34 minors arrested for violating the curfew between July and December 2025. Of those, eight faced criminal charges.
Overall crime decreased in Fayetteville during 2025, according to data cited by authorities. However, the results regarding juvenile crime specifically are mixed.
Assaults and robberies committed by minors increased during the same period. In contrast, vehicle thefts and break-ins involving minors showed a downward trend.
These results make it difficult to directly attribute the overall reduction in crime to the curfew.
Calls for Parents to Take Responsibility
Regardless of the arguments for or against a curfew for minors, authorities have issued a widespread call for families to know where their children are during nighttime hours.
We have a problem in our cities. In Charlotte, more than 2,000 minors were suspected of committing crimes during the first half of 2026. Data from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) show that, on average, a young person is suspected of committing a crime every two hours. Where are the parents of these minors?
Authorities can implement different measures, but if we do not know at home where our children are and who they are spending time with, no policy will be enough. It is up to us to seek help so that our children do not fall into the clutches of crime, either as victims or perpetrators.
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