Do juvenile curfew laws work? A time-series analysis of the New Orleans law

Juvenile curfew laws are one of the most recent weapons for combating delinquency, but little is known about their effectiveness. This study examines the impact of the juvenile curfew law in New Orleans, Louisiana on victimizations, juvenile victimizations, and juvenile arrests. Interrupted time-series analyses are used to compare victimizations and arrests before and after the curfew was implemented. The results show the ineffectiveness of the curfew. Victimizations, juvenile victimizations, and juvenile arrests during curfew hours did not decrease significantly after the law went into effect; some victimizations during non-curfew hours increased significantly after the law was implemented.