The county executive said she is seeking an emergency meeting with the Department of Juvenile Services and will seek answers from officials in the court system to understand “how these kids are being held accountable.” “We need family members to step up and do their part,” she said.Īlsobrooks also pushed for action from the Department of Juvenile Services, which handles youth involved in the justice system, as well as prosecutors and the court system. The county executive said the goal is to protect children, not to burden police. The last time the youth curfew was strongly enforced was in 1995, but Alsobrooks said current circumstances warranted bringing it back. In some cases, parents could be fined up to $250 for repeated violations and children could be turned over to the Department of Social Services. Sunday through Thursday and between 11:59 p.m. The curfew requires teens under 17 to be off the streets between the hours of 10 p.m. Stricter enforcement of the curfew, which already exists in Maryland law, Alsobrooks said, will take effect starting next weekend and last for at least the next 30 days, she said, as part of a “cooling-off period.” “I know it’s not a popular thing to say, but it’s a fair question: Where are their parents? Where are the aunties, where are the uncles and other family members who are responsible for them?” “At this point, these kids don’t just need a hug, they need to be held accountable,” Alsobrooks said.

In particular, Alsobrooks pointed to an “eye-popping” 430 arrests of juveniles this year - nearly double the number last year. The announcement Monday of a get-tough approach on crime came as Prince George’s County marked its deadliest month in decades - with 24 killings investigated by police in August, alone - and a rise in violent crime by repeat offenders, Alsobrooks said during a news conference. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks says police in the Maryland county will begin stepping up enforcement of an already on-the-books curfew to keep teens off the streets at night, amid a rise in carjackings and other violent crime. Business & Finance Click to expand menu.

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