In response to Antigua and Barbuda’s newly amended Small Charges Act, enforcing a 10 pm to 6 am curfew for minors, Neal Fontenelle, President of the National Principals Association in Saint Lucia, has weighed in with his perspective on youth crime and potential impacts of the law.
As reported by Antigua Observer, the Antigua & Barbuda amendment, effective October 1, seeks to address youth crime by holding parents accountable with fines of up to XCD 5,000 if their children violate the curfew.
NPA President Fontenelle acknowledged that youth crime continues to pose significant challenges for the authorities.
He suggested that a curfew could be an effective last-resort measure if other strategies fail.
“I think that if crime among youth continues to pose a problem to authorities and other strategies prove ineffective, a curfew may become inevitable as a last resort,” he told St. Lucia Times.
However, the NPA President proposed a potentially earlier curfew time, expressing that a start time of 7 or 8 pm might create a stronger deterrent.
“I am of the view that if the curfew is earlier (7 or 8 pm) it can serve as a deterrent not just for the minors but also for their parents who will make a more concerted effort to keep their children off the streets at the risk of being fined,” he explained.
Fontenelle pointed to the need for broader, long-term strategies, such as bolstering human and social services, to have a meaningful impact on youth crime.
“There are strategies which can be implemented to realise improvement in crime reduction among the youth, but many of those are long-term measures as opposed to a curfew which may realise results in the short term,” he added.
Fontenelle also highlighted gaps in existing services, citing the Boys’ Training Centre’s limited success in rehabilitating at-risk youth: “The Boys’ Training Centre has not been very effective as a rehabilitation center for at-risk males. This institution needs to be rebranded and revamped to better serve our at-risk males and provide a safe environment for rehabilitation.”
Fontenelle emphasised that while schools play a critical role, they need more resources to support at-risk youth effectively. “Schools have been playing a role but do not have all necessary resources to deal with at-risk youth,” he explained, advocating for more involvement from parents, social partners, and the private sector to improve support systems.
With the curfew for minors now in effect, Antigua and Barbuda hopes it step will curb youth crime in the short term, while Fontenelle’s comments shed light on the importance of sustained, comprehensive support to address the root causes of crime.
You are not addressing the issue of youth crime when you implement a curfew. This is a mere obfuscation of duty by every adult who seek to punish the youth for their (adults’) own failings. The youth should be free to be out and about at a reasonable time without having to adhere to a curfew. Where are their freedoms and right to enjoy their own country? Isn’t it a harsh act to punish the youth, including those who are law abiding for the misdemeanors of a few spoilt youths? If you want to stem youth violence and crime, you need to start in the homes. Programmes that target better parenting skills, working with difficult youths who often time are deviant due to issues at home with their own parents. No child is born wanting to be deviant, or a criminal. This traits are learnt and often times the symptoms of a more insidious societal underpinning. Targeted social programmes are the best way to stem youth violence along with education leading to meaningful employment. Don’t restrict the youth with a curfew. You address none of the issues. You enforce a curfew but their problems still remain.
The time for such a Curfew Law in St. Lucia is far gone Island wide, but can still be implemented in certain Towns and or Communities where necessary. It would require much more and better trained Policing to deal with St. Lucia’s advanced crime problems.
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