CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — When the 88th Texas Legislative session ended back in spring, one of the new changes made was ending curfews for kids.
The Corpus Christi Police Department told 3NEWS they were anticipating the possibility of Governor Greg Abbott signing House Bill 1819 into effect.
For reference, the department considers teens 17 and younger as juveniles.
James Lerma is the Deputy Chief of Operations for CCPD. He said his department sees petty crimes such as minor assaults, criminal mischief, and criminal trespassing among kids between the ages of 12 – 16.
Since February, when the city stopped their juvenile curfew, police have not seen an uptick in juvenile crimes. However, there is a park curfew in place designed to keep trouble out of the dozens of play areas in the Coastal Bend.
"Most of our contact with juveniles is a result of probable cause, complaints that come through our 911 system, or through our non-emergency lines," Lerma said. "We haven't seen a real drop or increase as things come in."
Lerma says the majority of crimes occur at night under the cloak of darkness. In fact, he used a phrase many of us are familiar with.
"Nothing good happens after 11," he said. "We always say between 11 and 6 o'clock, which 10 and 6 was the original curfew, and that was established because we want kids at home at that hour. The best place for a child or a juvenile at night is at home with their parents."
At this time, there are no initiatives within the department encouraging parents to be alert when it comes to being informed of your children's whereabouts after dark.
This may serve as a reminder for parents who may like to take a more laid-back approach to their parenting style. Deputy Chief Lerma says some of the best intentions could lead to bad results.