WASHINGTON — Washington D.C. begins enhanced enforcement of the District's youth curfew Saturday at 12:01 a.m. District leaders attribute many of the crimes on the rise to teens and younger children. Officers will focus on a series of specific neighborhoods where department leaders believe they will have the greatest impact.
The curfew has been on the books for decades, so many people wonder why this enforcement plan is beginning now.
QUESTION
Does crime data show an increase in arrests of juvenile suspects in Washington D.C.?
SOURCES
ANSWER
Yes, the last two years have seen a spike in the number of juveniles arrested for violent crimes.
WHAT WE FOUND
Metropolitan Police Department produces reports about juvenile crime twice a year. Each suspect is listed by the date and location of the arrest and the most serious charge, if arrested for more than one violation.
We looked at the January-June reports from 2016 through 2023.
Before the pandemic, there was a steady drop in the number of minors arrested for violent crimes each year. In the first half of 2016, 735 juveniles were arrested for violent crimes. That number dropped to 614 in 2017, 593 in 2018, and 561 in 2019.
The number of juveniles arrested in the first half of 2020 dropped significantly because of the coronavirus pandemic. It then dropped again from 319 to 247 in the first half of 2021.
The last two years, however, have seen a sharp increase in violent crime arrests among juveniles. MPD reported 326 juveniles arrested for violent crimes in 2022, and 363 during the first six months of 2023. That is approximately a 47% increase.
Whether the curfew enforcement will have the desired impact is unknown. Research often shows that curfews do not substantially reduce crime.