CHAPTER 1

The Problem

Background of the study

Minor curfews are local ordinances proscribing minors, generally

within a specified age range, from occupying public areas and streets
during particular times. It is 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.

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

drugs and violence. Imposing youth curfew scan 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 of darkness.

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 families.
Juvenile curfews laws have appealed to liberals and conservatives
alike, though usually for slightly different reasons. For conservatives,
curfews fit into an approach of more vigorous enforcement efforts, more
punitive sentencing, and increased social controls. For liberals, curfews fit
into the program of identifying juveniles in early stages of delinquency who
could benefit from intervention strategies. Additionally, the costs of
enforcing curfews are perceived as relatively low and the measures
perceived as very effective.

Too little empirical research has been done on the cost

effectiveness of curfew enforcement, so this remains an area where
further research would be useful.

Delinquency prevention efforts are considered by many to be

crucial to the development of a consistent and comprehensive approach to
the problem of youth crime and delinquency. Traditionally, evaluations
have lacked empirical support prevention programs’ impact on juvenile
misconduct. Today, however, a growing body of research supports the
idea of delinquency prevention as both a practical and cost-effective
means of reducing youth misbehavior. In the conduct of preventing and or
controlling delinquency one of the means being applied is the
implementation of curfew hours.

The council for protection for youth and children was also asked to
review the ordinance. Decent deliberation focused on whether there is a
need to adjust the curfew hours since some students might have to do
some assignments and other school works which could go beyond the 10
p.m. curfew Section 2 of Ordinance 50, s. 2009 states that children below
16 years old are prohibited from roaming or playing in the streets, roads,
plazas, parks, or other public places from 10 pm to 5 am. Another concern
is the protocol on the custody of offenders. The city government has been
updating the curfew ordinance to address delinquency, teenage gang
violence, and other violations as follows: first offense – the child shall be
referred to the guidance counselor of the council for the Protection of
Youth and Children; second offense – the child shall undergo counseling
by the DSWD; and third offense – the child shall be put the DSWD under
an intervention program, which may include community service.

The DSWO shall ensure that the community service is appropriate

to the child and is consistent with the goals of the intervention program.
Adults who are the guardian, parent, or authorized custodian of the
offending child within the third degree of relationship, either by
consanguinity or affinity, shall be penalized under other applicable laws
and ordinances.

The City of Caloocan amended section 15 of ordinance no.1-2003

or the Curfew for Minors under the Children Welfare Code changing
mainly the time schedule and the penalties which then now referred to as
the Ordinance no. 2-2008. Section 15 ordinance no. 2 of 2008 states that
“No person below eighteen years old shall loiter in the streets or public
places between Ten O’clock in the evening (10:00 pm) to Five O’clock in
the morning (5:00am), except those returning to or going out of their
houses or schools for legitimate purposes or unless they are in company
with their parents and guardians. Minors who shall be caught will be
referred to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office
(MSWDO) for guidance and counseling, safekeeping for the night, and
disposition in accordance to the provision of RA 9344. The said ordinance
is a revised edition of ordinance no. 1-2003, section 15 which states that
“No person below eighteen years shall loiter in the streets or public places
between 10:30 at night.

Curfews are credited by some with restoring and maintaining order

in lower crime neighborhoods, according to the analysis. In addition to
equipping law enforcement with tools to keep youth off the streets,
curfews provide parents with a legitimate, legal basis for restricting the
activities of their children. It is easier for parents to place boundaries on
their children’s activities a, proponents argue, when other in the
neighborhood are similarly restricted by a specific time to return home.
Nonetheless, there are still weaknesses and problem in its
implementation.

Hence, it also expected that there are weaknesses and problems in

the implementation of curfew on minors in Barangay 14, Caloocan City.

This study was carried out in Barangay 14, Caloocan City to assess
the implementation of curfew on minors and provide recommendations in
order to address and improve these weaknesses and problems.

Statement of the Problem

The main purpose of the study was to assess the operation of
curfew on minors in Barangay 14, Caloocan City. Specifically, it sought
answers to the following:

1. What is the level of attainment of the objectives of curfew on minors?

1.1 Are there significant differences on level of attainment of the

objectives of curfew on minors as perceived by the respondents?

2. What is the level of implementation of curfew on minors?

2.1 Are there significant differences on the level of implementation of

curfew on minors as perceived by the respondents?

3. What is the degree of seriousness of problems encountered in the

implementation of curfew hours?

Hypothesis of the Study

There are significant differences in the level of attainment of the

objectives of curfew on minors as perceived by the groups of respondents.

There are significant differences in the level of implementation of

curfew on minors as perceived by the groups of respondents.
Importance of the Study

This result of the study will benefit the police officers, barangay
14of Caloocan City, future researchers and the researchers himself.

For the police officers, the result of the study will help them to upgrade
and enhance its capabilities of implementing the PNP strategic action plan
in Barangay 14, Caloocan City.

For the Barangay 14, Caloocan City, the result of the study will be one of
the sources for making this barangay a better place.

For the respondents, the outcome of the study would serve as tools that
will assist them to improve their current techniques through the provision
of significant data imparted by the study.

Finally, on the part of the researcher, during and after the phase of the
study, the researcher who is currently teaching criminology subjects will
also be benefitted. He would gain essential knowledge about research and
the implementation of curfew on minors which is very relevant in the job.

Scope and delimitation of the study

This study is focused on the assessment on the ordinance of
curfew on minors in Barangay 14, Caloocan City. The researcher confined
his study at Block 1 to block 31 in Barangay 14, Caloocan City. This study
covered the perception of Philippine National Police personnel, Barangay
officials and parents in the implementation of curfew for minors in
Barangay 14, Caloocan City.

Theoritical /Conceptual Framework

The researcher was guided by the concept that if curfew is imposed

on minors, they can be prevented from engaging crimes in the future.

Curfews are built upon the idea that “restricting the hours when
young people may be in public should limit their opportunities to commit
crimes or become victims”. With this underlying motivation, such policies
can take a variety of forms, including variations in targeted age groups,
hours of operation, exception to the policy and sanctions for violations.

Typical curfew policies in larger cities are directed at youth age up

to 17, and enforced between the hours of 10:00 pm midnight and 4:00 to
6:00 in the morning. Thus, it is generally believed that juvenile curfew
policies encompass a variety of restricted activities and sanction,
implemented with the intention of counselling delinquency and increasing
public safety.

Given that curfew laws reduce the amount of time that teenagers
spend out of their homes, curfew laws have been marketed to have the
strong potential to limit both the rate of crimes, such as homicide both
committed by and inflicted on teenagers. It has also been proposed that
curfew laws have the potential to strengthen parental control by making it
easier for parents to limit the amount of time that their children are allowed
to spend out of the house.

In the Philippines, A Department of Justice undersecretary said

times have become especially dangerous due to the proliferation of illegal
drugs. Even the most remote barangays have been penetrated by drug
dealers and pusher, according to police military reports.

“The curfew will help in protecting the minors because most crimes
happen at night. I’m sure parents will support that. I personally do not want
young people roaming around the streets when it’s already late. We can
no longer be certain of their safety because of illegal drugs,” said. There
have been debates about the measure but Gutierrez pointed out the public
should only be assured of a proper manner of apprehending minors
violating the curfew. She said the government can always quell abuses in
imposing rules and regulations and thus fears of stepping on the right of
minors can be addressed by a campaign on the advantages of a curfew.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. has likewise
backed the plan to implement curfew hours for minors in Metro Manila and
the rest of the country, saying the scheme would greatly reduce incidents
of street crimes.

Lina urged city and municipal mayors to seriously consider

imposing curfew in their respective localities to prevent criminal elements
from plying their illegal activities at night.

In calling all city and municipal mayors outside Metro Manila to

impose their respective curfew hours for minors, Lina said this could be
done through an ordinance passed by their respective local councils.

“There is great wisdom in the imposition of curfew not only in Metro

Manila but also nationwide as this would greatly help the police in stopping
the growing number of street crimes, but this should be imposed only on
minors,” Lina said.

Preventative enforcement falls under the heading of protection, and

involves the prevention of crime through the noticeable presence of police
vehicle and personnel. Prevention of crime is the soundest of all
criminological philosophy. It is much easier to patch a crack in the dike
than it is to repair the wall after it has broken. The old saw about “an
ounce of prevention being a worth a pound of cure” could not find a better
example than in the prevention of crime. The ultimate goal of crime
prevention is to reduce the risk of being a victim. In order to accomplish
this effectively, it is important to remove opportunities for a criminal to take
advantage of you or your property. You are attempting to prevent either
victimization or criminalization by presenting an unattractive target to the
criminal. This effort at removing opportunities is often referred to as target
hardening. Target hardening can be as complex as installing a high tech
alarm system or taking a self-defense course to something as simple as
locking your door. Successful crime prevention efforts will promote a safer
community be enhancing the perception of safety and the attitudes and
behaviors that help people feel safe.

Crime prevention is the attempt to reduce victimization and to deter

crime and criminals. It is applied specifically efforts made by governments
to reduce crime, enforce the law, and maintain criminal justice. Crime
prevention is any initiative or policy which reduce or eliminates the
aggregate level of victimization or the risk of individual criminal
participation. It includes government and community based programs to
reduce the incidents of risk factors correlated with criminal participation
and the rage of victimization, as well as efforts to change perceptions.
One of the priority goals of the government is to establish a harmonious,
peaceful, and stable environment conducive to attain over-all development
here in our county. For one, the impact of a sound and healthy
environment greatly affects the welfare of every individual and the overall
status of the economy in the nation.

Crime is a social disease that needs to be cured. A conceptual

framework of model for the purpose of crime prevention is therefore
needed. Having the knowledge on the etiology of crime, all possible
preventive and suppressive method in combating crime can help deter
criminality.
In his article in “Ang Tala” on August 15, 1978, quoted that during
the fifth United Nation Congress on Prevention of Crimes and Treatment
of offender held in Geneva, Switzerland on September 1 – 12, 1975, it
was the consensus of the participating nations to stress the importance of
“community prevention action” which embraces a program of action
planned and implemented at both the local and national levels. Under
these concepts public participation was understood to encompass all the
ways in which a community group assist in the prevention and control of
crime and promote peace and order.

It is believed that an effective criminal justice system call for the

rationalization and socialization of crime prevention policy and integrating
them into national development goals, for it has been pointed out that
most of the weaknesses of the system are traceable to the failure of
authorities to bridge the gap between crime and social development.

The conceptual framework of the study was based on the concepts

of crime prevention, adhering to the archaic saying stating that: “An ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of crime. Much of the anguish, losses and
damage caused by crime can be simply avoided by preventing its source”.

It is one of the fundamental duties of the elected officials to see to it

that the society in their jurisdiction should be place conducive to stay,
which means peaceful society. So it is one duty of the elected official to
make and enact laws which help prevent the commission of crimes so as
to maintain peace and order in their respective jurisdiction, one of which is
the implementation of curfew for minors in Barangay 14, Caloocan City.
This study aimed to determine the level of attainment of the
objectives of curfew for minors, level of implementation of curfew for
minors and the degree of seriousness in the implementation of curfew for
minors in the Barangay 14 of Caloocan City. Thus, after the root cause
were properly identified, the necessary measures were recommended and
formulated to solve the problems.

The paradigm of the study (figure 1) describes the coverage and

the direction of the study. Under the independent variables, the following
are determined. The curfew operation on minors is dependent on the
assessment of the level of attainment of the objectives of curfew on
minors, the level of implementation of curfew on minors. Differences in the
perceptions among PNP personnel, Barangay official and parent may
exists any may affect the result of assessment.

FIGURE 1. PARADIGM OF THE STUDY

Independent Variables

1. Attainment of
the objectives of
curfew on
minors
2. Implementation
of curfew on
minors
3. Degree of
serious Dependent Variable
problems
1. Level of attainment
encountered in
of the objectives of
implementing
curfew on minors
curfew
2. Level of
implementation of
curfew on minors
3. Degree of serious
problems
encountered in
implementing
curfew
Moderate variables

a. Barangay 14, PNP personnel

b. Barangay officials
c. Parents
Definition of Terms

Minor - It refers to a juvenile who is under the age of eighteen.

Curfew - It is an order or law that requires people to be indoors after a

certain time when such an order or law is in effect.

Barangay Tanod - It refers to a community brigade composed of civilian

volunteers duly appointed by the barangay chairman upon
recommendation of the Barangay Peace and Order Committee (BPOC).

Juvenile delinquency – It refers to the habitual committing of criminal acts

or offenses by a young person, especially one below the age at which
ordinary criminal prosecution is possible.

Business establishment - It refers to businesses offering liquors or any

intoxicating beverages, those which offer amusement services such as
billiards, internet cafe and the like.

Patrol – this refers to an act done by police personnel passing along a

road, beat, or around or through a specified area in order to maintain order
and security.