Getting tough!

"The offending child might also be ordered to perform community service, pay a fine or both, the news release said."

MIGHT. Key word there. I wonder who decides on the penalty?

The only curfew I would subject my children to is the curfew I decide is right for them, not the police. Although my youngest is now 18, she has never been subject to a curfew while living in the VI although we did provide "guidelines" as to when we expect her to be home. From the age of 16 on, that time was usually 2 am. Prior to her being 16, the expected time was midnight.

Pretty generous curfew.
That type of curfew would not be suitable for all children of those ages. IMO.
What's a 12-15 year old got to do out until midnight?
Where is there to go until 2AM for 16 year olds?

Curfew for all of our children was 11:00 pm. If they returned home during college breaks after age 18 and above and wanted to stay out longer we had to have a phone call by 11:00 letting us know when they would be home or if they had made other sleeping arrangements.

Pretty generous curfew.
That type of curfew would not be suitable for all children of those ages. IMO.
What's a 12-15 year old got to do out until midnight?
Where is there to go until 2AM for 16 year olds?

I was more referring to kids 16 and up but we've always provided vehicles for our kids so they were able to get around on their own once they turned 16. I wasn't always certain exactly where they were at every moment or who exactly they might be hanging with, but I had a pretty good idea. Our kids were always pretty honest about that.

Usually, they'd be going to the late movie, followed by a late night visit to IHOP or McD then off to someone's house to chill. Often, weekends meant a bonfire at the beach near Chenay Bay or Shoys. Sometimes a friend would be having a party. Most often they'd be working at one of the jobs they held.

But what they weren't doing was robbing gas stations, killing people at after hours clubs or gang banging in the 'hood.

The thing I dislike about curfews is the implication that all kids are doing something illegal just because they're out late at night. To counter the threat of being harassed by a cop, I could provide my kids with a notarized affidavit granting them my express written permission to be out. However, like virtually all law enforcement in the VI, that is unnecessary because there is really no enforcement anyway.

Just my two cents...