San Diego Union-Tribune

In 1997, a federal appeals court struck down the teen curfew law in San Diego, California, as unconstitutionally vague. In the following viewpoint, the editors of the San Diego Union-Tribune, a daily newspaper, argue that the city should reimpose a curfew on teenagers that meets judicial guidelines. Juvenile crime dropped during curfew hours, the editors maintain; furthermore, curfews protect teens by keeping them home late at night when dangerous criminals are more likely to be on the streets.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. In the author’s opinion, what time should curfew be for teenagers on Friday and Saturday nights?
2. What were the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ objections to the current curfew law, as cited by the author?
3. What are the exceptions that would permit teens to be out past curfew...