PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia is using a new strategy with youth who stay out past curfew. The city has opened two evening resource centers to provide support, rather than punishment, for violators.
The resource centers are part of City Councilmember Kathy Gilmore Richardson's curfew reform bill that passed last June. She called them a "dream come true."
"It's what I envisioned and more. I'm so happy that we finally have the community evening resource centers up and running in the city," she said.
Previously, when police caught teens out after curfew, and they refused to give a home address or no one answered at the home, they were taken to police districts.
At the evening resource centers — one in South Philadelphia, the other in Cobbs Creek — there are activities and supports, hangout rooms, classrooms and computer hubs. Human Services Commissioner Kimberly Ali hopes they might even become an alternative to breaking curfew.
"We want to engage in such a way that the next day, you can come earlier in the day and take advantage of the programming that's offered here," said Ali.
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"That's what we're really concerned about," said Terrilynn Donnell of the Community of Compassion CDC, "is our youth having a place where they can feel comfortable and they have a place where they can trust people."
The centers operate from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Since opening on December 20, they have served a total of 40 youth — 10 at Diversified Community Services in South Philadelphia and 30 at Community of Compassion CDC in Cobbs Creek. The budget for the centers is $650,000 each, or a total of $1.3 million.
The curfew reform comes as both shooters and victims of gun violence are getting younger. Gilmore Richardson said she hopes the resource centers can be a solution.
"We found that so many of our young people are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. "We want to give them an outlet they can come to voluntarily or involuntarily to help them get the resources they need."