New Orleans leaders are looking at programs to enforce curfew for minors ahead of the summer months, in the wake of Wednesday night's double shooting and murder on Cleveland Avenue.
Current summer curfew hours run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, 11 p.m to 6 a.m Friday and Saturday and in the French Quarter from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. seven days a week.The curfew applies to children under the age of 16.
The city is considering a plan to partner with Covenant House where police would drop off curfew violators if their parents or guardian cannot be contacted.
Young people accused of crimes would not be brought to the curfew center, according to the non-profit's executive director, Jim Kelly.
"They're not bringing to us the pack of kids who might be out stealing cars," said Kelly. "Those young people will be detained and go to jail."
Kelly said the curfew center would be an alternative to unsupervised kids walking the streets at night and causing problems.
"They'll be able to watch television here," Kelly said. "They'll be able to climb on a computer, to play basketball. If it's late, they'll be able to take a nap until one of the family members comes to pick them up."
New Orleans City Council members approved another program for juvenile offenders Thursday. It would call for the city to partner with the Youth Empowerment Project in the city.
YEP NOLA would run an evening reporting center that would be a court-ordered alternative to juvenile detention.
City Councilman Jay Banks promised the program would not coddle young people capable of the type of crime committed Wednesday night in Mid-City. In that incident, police say a woman was killed and her husband was shot by a 17-year-old while attempting to intervene on a car burglary.
"The idea that that lady was shot multiple times is just ridiculous," said Banks. "The idea that that young man had just been in the system and released is also ridiculous."
City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, whose own father was allegedly carjacked by a group of juveniles earlier this year spoke in favor of evening reporting center. She hopes the program will keep young people from advancing to the next level of crime.
"I just feel that when a young person is in front of a judge we have failed them," Nguyen said. "I think there's a great opportunity for us to really connect with many of our young people that are on the wrong track."
The city and YEP NOLA are still working out the details on who would qualify for the evening reporting center and who would not.
