In some areas of the US, a 'curfew' is imposed, in which teenagers are not allowed to be out of doors after a particular time at night unless they are accompanied by an adult. What is your opinion about this?

In many parts of the United States, teenagers cannot go outdoors without adult supervision during the late hours of the

night

due to the imposition of a ‘curfew’. In my opinion,

this

step robs them of their basic human right to move about freely and could even affect their confidence levels in adulthood.

To begin

with, being able to go outdoors is a constitutional right of all humans guaranteed by the US constitution. Preventing young people from going out at

night

without a parent or guardian is a bit like stripping them of that basic right. Of course, being out at late hours can pose many threats to the safety of teens.

However

, stopping them from venturing out is hardly the solution to

this

problem.

Instead

, parents and teachers should make children aware of the vicious crimes

such

as looting, rape, kidnapping and substance abuse that are prevalent during the

night

hours. When children are equipped with the knowledge, they will be able to better safeguard themselves and can be safely outdoors at any hour of the day or the

night

.

Additionally

, going out with an adult is not always a feasible option especially since many children have parents or caretakers who work late

night

.

For instance

, teenage children of doctors, nurses, paramedics and 24-hour store employees are usually alone at

night

. If these children want to go out at

night

, it is not always easy for them to find a familiar adult who can accompany them.

This

can put them in trouble if they have urgent errands to run or late-

night

parties to attend. Even returning home alone from a friend’s or relative’s place at

night

can put them in trouble and

such

situations have to be avoided. To summarise, in my opinion, teenagers should be allowed to go outdoors at

night

. They should be empowered with knowledge and technology so as to safeguard themselves from sticky situations. These steps will not only make them independent and confident but

also

give them the freedom to make their own choices in life.