Enforcing the curfew is key to breaking juvenile crime

Enforcing the curfew is key to breaking juvenile crime
EDITOR:
Unruly adolescents have taken over too many of our blocks in this small town. I do realize that we do have some laws in place to aid the police in matters such as this. The aid I am referring to is the curfew. There is no need having a curfew if we are not going to use it.
I strongly suggest that the police use this curfew; along with every letter of the law that applies to it. Make the parent accountable, according to every letter of the law. Treat this curfew like you treat illegal parking, car accidents and people who run red lights and stop signs. These adolescents need to know we're not playing, and that they will suffer the consequences. In other words if the police see 30 adolescents/children in one night breaking the curfew, don't give up. Take them to the Juvenile Justice Center.
Contact their parents and make them accountable. You see, it is time to hold the parents' feet to the fire. When these parents are made to pay fines, and neglect work because they have to go to court or have to go to jail because they did not pay a fine related to the actions of their children, then it will make a difference.
I was always under the understanding that parents are legally responsible for their children. Therefore, why can't the juvenile justice hold the parents feet to the fire on this? I feel that there should be a zero tolerance when it comes to curfews in Youngstown because a lot of the violence here is youth/gang related.
It's time for all the citizens of Youngstown to stop leaning back on their thumbs while other attempt to do all the work. If you are not taking an active role in helping to find an effective solution, then you are part of the problem. We need to work together -- community leaders, police officers, citizens, public officials, and merchants. Keep curfew alive. I am pretty sure that the police can do something about this. Don't let up until the problem is solved.
HENRIETTA DIXON-COLLIER
Youngstown
Tolerance and fairness are better than discrimination
EDITOR:
Seven years ago, on a cold October night on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyo., 21-year-old gay college student Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead. He was found 18 hours later and rushed to the hospital, where he lingered for nearly five days before succumbing to his injuries.
This happened to Matthew because he was gay. My reason for this story is because I believe that gays and lesbians should be treated the same as straight people. Some people may say that they are not treated worse but take a look at the hate gays/lesbians receive for wanting to get married. I take offense to this simply because I have gay/lesbian family members and I fully support them. Gays and lesbians should not be treated differently. Some may also say that in the Bible it is wrong for the same sex to be together, but it also says that men should throw stones at their wives if they do not do what they are told. I do believe that gays/lesbians should have the same rights as straight men and women do. And they should be able to get married.
I ask this simple question. Why wouldn't you want gays/lesbians who have children not to have the same life as straight people? This is my point. So many people say that gays/lesbians shouldn't be able to adopt children because the children will be just like their parents. How can we judge how a child's life will be because of their parents? Children have their own personalities and orientations. Please take in consideration that gays/lesbian are humans just like straight people. They are not a disease or any different from you or me.
The first step we can take in Ohio is to encourage our legislature to repeal the recent amendment banning same sex marriages. How about teaching tolerance and fairness to our children rather than prejudice and discrimination? It's time for Ohio to step up into the 21st Century.
ASHLEY BAZER
Lake Milton