by Chelsea Birchmier

The Kansas City Council along with Mayor Sly James approved a new curfew Aug. 18 for anyone under the age of 18 in response to a shooting which occurred on the Plaza the previous Saturday. The decision to enact a curfew has invited both praise and criticism for its efforts to prevent youth violence.

The 9 p.m. curfew applies to people under 18 in five entertainment districts including the Plaza, Westport, Downtown, 18th and Vine, and Zona Rosa and lasts from Memorial Day to the last Sunday in September. In October, the curfew changes to 11 p.m. for all minors on weekdays and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The punishment for offending youth includes a trip to a curfew detention center and fine up to $500; the previous fine for breaking curfew was $1.

“[The Plaza] has actually been quiet since we started,” Officer Ryan Taylor said as he patrolled the Plaza’s street corners Friday Sept. 2. “I’ve seen a lot more families down here and people enjoying the Plaza the way it should be enjoyed. It’s been really nice. It’s what we expected.”

As an alternative to entertainment districts, several community centers in the Kansas City area will extend Friday and Saturday hours to 11 p.m. or midnight to encourage teens to spend their time in a safe, welcoming environment. Hillcrest Community Center runs one of these programs, where teens can come to enjoy food and games.

“This program is to provide our youth with a positive place where they can go instead of being out roaming the streets,” Hillcrest program specialist Jocelyn Logan said. “It’s really a place where they can come and hang out and converse among themselves in a positive environment.”

These new community center programs aim to prevent violent events like the shooting that occurred on the Plaza Aug. 13. Freshman Amy O’Leary ate dinner with friends at P.F. Chang’s on the Plaza the night of the shooting and saw large groups of teens congregating across the street.

“All we could see [from the restaurant] was a bunch of people running around outside,” O’Leary said. “Policemen were everywhere on horses, and a police escorted us out. People were just being crazy. We weren’t aware of everything that had happened until we got home and saw it on the news.”

Prior to the shooting, Highwoods Properties, the company that owns the Plaza, had suggested a curfew in response to several events, including the flash mob that occurred in July. It was after the shooting, though, that James and the City Council made the decision to pass the new curfew law.

“This Council stands united to reduce violent crime in Kansas City,” James said in a press release. “Reducing the crime in our neighborhoods and keeping our children safe will require a coordinated effort. We will keep doing what is right for the children of this city, and I truly believe we have turned a corner and will sustain the effort we have begun.”

While Ms. Kelly Goode, whose two daughters attend STA, supports increased safety measures, she believes options other than a curfew would serve the Plaza’s best interest.

“It seems to me that the curfew would cause a problem for some of the 18 and under crowd who are genuinely having a good time going to the movies, eating out and spending their money on the Plaza,” Goode said. “Perhaps a better alternative would be hiring more security or putting in more security cameras. But if there’s a potential for continued crime like this shooting, then safety should definitely rise to the top of the priorities.”

Like her mother, senior Ariana Goode believes the Plaza should adopt safety measures besides the curfew. She argues that the curfew’s attempt to curb violence goes too far, discriminating unfairly against teens.

“I know [the City Council] is trying to help by giving a curfew, but there will still be crime,” Ariana said. “Violence is everywhere, not just in shopping centers like the Plaza. It’s unfair to punish all teenagers for one person’s mistake.”