The ultimate teen curfew law went in affect Friday night in Baltimore.
Children under 14 years old are required to be indoors by 9 p.m. and teens between 14 and 16 years old to be in by 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends.
Police will pick up any youngsters out past curfew and bring them to a curfew center where their parents would meet them, and be issued a civil citation or family counseling. Parents whose children are caught out past curfew may also face a $30-$500 fine.
The only exclusions for teens include school, work and recreational activities.
"We know that when children are on the streets late at night without adult supervision, they are more likely to become perpetrators or victims of violent crimes," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told CBS.
The law is designed to help keep people safe, according to authorities, but it has its critics and has been called one of the strictest curfew laws in the country.
"Asking police to round up kids simply because they're outside at a certain time is not only unfair to kids and their families but a poor use of police resources," Sonia Kumar, ACLU Staff Attorney, told NBC News.
With the rise of the new curfew law, a group called "The Hood2Harbor Peace Ambassadors Program" rose as well. Members of this teen group sport blue shirts and appear at popular hangout spot, Inner Harbor, just before curfew hours begin.
The Peace Ambassadors speak with their peers and give those who join a discount card to enjoy the attractions at the tourist area that are hard for young people to afford.
According to The Baltimore Brew, the discount card is used as an incentive to enforce positive behavior among teens.
Others took to Twitter to state their concerns about the curfew:
i support the new curfew in baltimore as long as breaking curfew doesn't lead arrests, court dates, fines etc
— Dijonay Jones (@check_verified) August 11, 2014
Hope this helps....not entirely sure https://t.co/Whbxyzjb6R — Jess! (@JessPfohl) August 11, 2014
I'm sure all youth will follow this law, police will work hard to enforce it, we'll enjoy a new era of peaLOOOOL https://t.co/bm7BFzSdIU — Jon (@redpatriot) August 11, 2014
If you don't parent your children don't get upset when the state takes over your role #baltimore #curfew
— Natalie hernandez (@NatGeminiarmy) August 11, 2014
