Curfews

Curfews represent orders by legal authorities that prohibit certain behaviors during certain hours. Generally, the purview of municipal authorities, curfews in the United States generally are thought of as applicable to juveniles as a means of keeping them at home and off the streets during certain hours, but they are applicable to those of any age. During times of war or civil unrest, curfews are often imposed as a means of keeping the peace. Critics of curfews suggest that the imposition of such restrictions often has a disparate impact on people of color and those from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and that police officers frequently use racial profiling when selecting those to question for being outdoors after hours.