Executive Summary

The curfew law implementation of the City of Cagayan de Oro City and the Barangay

Nazareth Codified Ordinance serves as the legal basis in implementing curfew hours

within the city and with the barangay level.

This study in anchored on the above stated mandates generally seeks to identify the

correlation between the Barangay Nazareth Curfew Law towards juvenile crime

prevention. Additionally, this study also assesses the significant contribution of the

implementation of curfew laws within the barangay level in preventing juvenile crimes or

even serious crimes committed by minors.

This paper also evaluates the effectiveness of curfew ordinances by comparing the

arrest behavior of minors within the barangay before and after curfew enactment. The

evidence suggests that curfews are effective at reducing both violent and property crimes

committed by juveniles below the statutory curfew age. Arrests of adults and youth above

the curfew age also appear to decrease in the wake of curfew enactment, however these

effects are smaller and statistically insignificant.

A qualitative type of research is used in the collection of data supplemented by a face

to face interview by the personnel of Barangay Nazareth. Data’s concerning the curfew

law implemented of the barangay and the recorded violations committed by minors within

the barangay for assessment and analysis.

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Introduction

This case study seeks to determine the correlation of Barangay Nazareth Curfew

Hour implementation towards juvenile crime prevention.

A curfew is an order specifying a time during which certain regulations apply. Typically

it is the time when individuals must stay indoors. Such an order may be issued by public

authorities but also by the owner of a house to those living in the household.

Curfews are not a new idea; they have been used throughout history as a

provisional measure to control civil disorder and unrest, especially by victorious armies

(A brief history of curfews 2002). William the Conqueror introduced the curfew as a normal

part of social life in England in the 1000s. Specifically, a curfew bell would be rung at

night, signaling to people that they should put out their lights (fires) and stay off the streets

until daybreak. This practice is reflected in the etymology of the word “curfew,” which

derives from the Old French phrase cuevrefeu, meaning “cover the fire” (American

heritage dictionary 1985). The purpose of the curfew at this time was fire prevention and

keeping the peace.

The first juvenile curfew law in the United States seems to have been enacted in

1880 in Omaha, Nebraska (Curfew 1997). Within a short period, America quickly and

enthusiastically embraced the concept of juvenile curfews. In 1897, the Boys and Girls’

National Home and Employment Association called on states to enact curfew laws

(Townsend 1896). Also, by 1897, three hundred cities had adopted curfew ordinances,

and claims were being made that commitments to stationhouses and reform schools

dropped 50 percent to 75 percent in these cities (Curfew ordinances 1897).

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 In the Philippines, the first curfew law took On August 22, 1977, when President

Ferdinand Marcos announced that he was lifting the nightly curfew and the travel ban as

his first step towards relaxing the restrictions imposed under martial law. When Marcos

declared martial law on September 21, 1972 by virtue of Proclamation No. 1081, it

curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media

establishments, and effected the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists. The

declaration of martial law was initially well received, given the social turmoil the

Philippines was then experiencing, including the re-emergence of the communist

movement. Among its desirable results was the significant reduction of the crime rate

after a nightly curfew was implemented nationwide.

Curfew is an order of a certain cities or municipalities specifying a time during

which certain regulations must be complied by an individual especially minors. This order

is issued by the authorities requiring minors to be indoors at certain times, often at night.

A CURFEW IS A LAW enacted by a local or state government that restricts certain

people from being in public places at specified times of the day. Many cities and towns

have a curfew law in place to prevent teenagers from being out at certain times, typically

spanning the late hours of the night or school hours during the day. Any teenager caught

out after curfew can face a fine or even jail time, depending upon the specific laws of the

town.

These are the possible reasons to believe that curfew is advantageous: First,

Youth crime is a major and growing problem, often involving both drugs and violence.

Imposing youth curfews can help to solve these problems, as they keep young people off

the street, and therefore out of trouble, and prevent them from congregating in the hours

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of darkness. Finally, the use of curfews on minors can help to protect vulnerable children

for not all parents are responsible and inevitably their children suffer, both from crime and

in accidents, and are likely to fall into bad habits. Society should ensure that such

neglected children are returned home safely and that their parents are made to face up

to their errands. (http://ourhappyschool.com)

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Background

In the City of Cagayan de Oro, with its struggle of preventing youth crimes, the

implementation of City Ordinance 4373-94 paved way in the creation of curfew law within

the city which prohibits any person below 15 years of age shall roam, wander around,

stand-by, or loiter in and around market places, restaurant, cafes, bars, cabarets, or liquor

stores or stands, massage clinics, beer house, sidewalks, hotels, plazas, parks,

sidewalks, and all other establishments after 10:00 o’clock in the evening and before

05:00 o’clock in the morning except in town fiesta, local and national holidays. Those who

violate the said law will be penalized of not less than P500.00 nor not more than

P1,500.00 or an imprisonment of not less than one(1) month nor more than four(4) months

or both such imprisonment and fine upon the discretion of the court.

The City’ Peace and Security Council passed a resolution in November 14, 1994 to

enforce an ordinance imposing a curfew on minors. With its fading implementation of the

said ordinance, the City’s Peace, Development and Security Council (CPDSC) led by

Executive Director Teddy Sabuga-a passed a resolution to enforce section 485, Chapter

108 of the City’s Codified Ordinance no 4373-94 starting June 1, 2014.

Barangay Nazareth codified the curfew law of the city passed in the year 1994 making

it more applicable within the barangay level. Under the said barangay codified ordinance,

Chapter 20 states the following:

CURFEW FOR MINOR

PROHIBITING ANY PERSON FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND BELOW TO ROAM,

WANDER AROUND OR STANDBY IN ANY PLACE IN THE BARANGAY AFTER TEN

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‘OCLOCK POST MERIDIAN AND BEFORE FOUR O’CLOCK ANTE MEDIAN WITH

CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, THERETO:

SECTION 61 – PROHIBITION - No person fifteen years of age and below shall roam,

wander around or standby in any place in the barangay after ten o’clock post meridian

and before four o’clock ante meridian.

SECTION 62 – EXCEPTION – the following occasions shall constitute as exception from

the herein prohibition, on the eve of the barangay Fiesta and other related functions, City

Charter day and Local Holidays of Cagayan de Oro City, Christmas, New Year, All Souls

day, all Saints day, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, up to the Resurrection Day immediately

following or those who have just attended in and are going home from school classes,

civil or religious gathering or social activities and during emergency circumstances and

those minor duly accompanied by their parents and/or guardians.

SECTION 63 – PENALTY – Any person found violating this chapter shall be

administratively charged as follows:

First Offense P100.00 or 1day community service

Second Offense P200.00 or 3days community service

Third Offense P500.00 or 1week community service

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Evaluation/Case Analysis

Presented below were the data provided by the Barangay Council for Protection

of Children (BCPC) regarding those apprehended minors violating the barangay

ordinance on Curfew Hour.

Boy Girl Total

Number of Children 6 1 7

in Conflict with the

law

(For Violations of:

A. Illegal Position of

bladed weapon

B. Vulca/Sniffing

C. Bringing deadly

weapon at school

Number of Children 10 1 11

At Risk

(They were

apprehended and

rescued by CSWD

and turnover in our

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barangay for violation

of

curfew/selling/roaming

around the city plaza

during school days

and late at night

Number of Families 3

attended the

orientation

(On parental

responsibility

conducted by the

CSWD held at the

Barangay conference

room)

Number of Children 2 1 3

Turn-over to theri

respective Barangay

(Apprehended or

rescued by our

barangay tanod-

turned oved to their

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 respective barangay

From the record presented to us by Barangay officials and from the result of our

interview with the personnel of Barangay Nazareth, juvenile crimes declines during the

time of the implementation of the curfew law within the barangay.

By the data shown above, that the strict implementation of curfew hour have

correlation in preventing juvenile crimes. Whereas, it might not be totally prevented due

to some case recorded but eventually a decline of the cases committed within the

barangay.

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Proposed Solutions/Recommendations

The following are the recommendations derived based from the findings of the

study.

1. Barangay Nazareth must continuously exert their effort in the consistent and strict

implementation of the curfew laws for it is beneficial in preventing juvenile crimes. In fact,

once juvenile crimes are prevented it might resolve the tendency of worsening the crimes

committed by minors.

2. Parents of those minors violated the law must be required to undergo compulsory

orientation for they will be inform their significant role in preventing juvenile crimes.

Therefore, parents must also be held liable for failure to response to such programs.

3. Children on Conflict with the law must undergo series of intervention programs in

order to cure their offending behaviors. Strict implementation of the community based

programs towards those individuals who violated the law for an effective rehabilitation

and treatment.

4. For those minors who repeatedly violated the curfew law or any laws, must undergo

a more comprehensive and stricter rehabilitation programs as a consequence of their

repetitive offending behaviors.

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Conclusion

Based from the evaluation and analysis of our study, the following were the

conclusions.

1. Overall, curfews appear to have important effects on the criminal behavior of youth.

The arrest data suggest that being subject to a curfew reduces the number of violent and

property crimes committed by juveniles after enactment, with the effects intensifying

substantially in subsequent years for violent crimes.

2. The consistent and strict implementation of the curfew law provides a significant

effect in the prevention of juvenile crimes because youths/minors often violate a certain

law once they perceive it is not being implemented properly.

3. Juvenile crimes need to be prevented in the earlier stage because if not, it will pave

way in committing a more serious offense.

4. An alternative rationalization of the evidence is that parents play an important role

in the enforcement of curfews over and above that of police. If municipal curfews act as

focal points in the establishment of household policies, a curfew with modest fines (and

arrests) could lead to large changes in the behavior of youth. The potential role of parents

in self-enforcement of curfews is an important area for future research.

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References

The following were the references used by the researchers in the conduct of this

study.

1. Our Happy School.Curfew for Minors: Advantageous or Disadvantageous?. 2011.

Retrieved from https://ourhappyschool.com/debate/curfew-minors-advantageous-or-

disadvantageous.

2. Rappler. Cagayan de Oro starts full enforcement of curfew on minors. Retrieved from

https://www.rappler.com/nation/cagayan-de-oro-city-curfew.

3. Kline, P. The Impact of Juvenile Curfew Laws. 2011 Retrieved from

https://eml.berkeley.edu//~pkline/papers/curfews_resubmit.pdf.

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