Chicago adopts new curfews for children

CHICAGO, July 29 (UPI) -- The Chicago City Council has established new curfews for children under 12 and parents of repeat violators could pay heavy fines, officials in City Hall said.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has given his blessing to the curfews, which require the young children to be inside by 8:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 p.m. on weekends, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

Emanuel said parents who exercise "insufficient control" could be fined up to $500 or community service if their young children receive two curfew citations in a calendar year, and fines up to $1,500 for "three strikes."

"I grew up with a curfew," Emanuel said. "When the lights on the street went on, you took your tail and made it home and [got] in the house. And that's what I believe is the right policy for the safety and security of our kids … it means that we're aligning good parenting and the laws of the city."

Former Mayor Richard Daley set the curfew times two years ago at 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. weekends for children under 17. The same curfew had also applied to younger children.