Paterson considering city-wide curfew due to increasing gang violence (crime, lawyers)

[GiantRutgersfan]

The Associated Press: NJ city considers adult curfew after crime spate

Seeking to curb violence after a spate of deadly summer shootings, Paterson officials are considering an unusual ordinance that would prevent people of all ages from gathering outside in public late at night.


The measure could be the nation's first citywide, non-emergency curfew to include adults, several experts said.

Is this even America anymore? you cant stop people from going outside at night.

[HeatherLynn822]

"going outside" and "GATHERING outside in public" are 2 very different things.

This doesn't sound to me like if you live in Paterson you'd be prohibited from making a late night run to the grocery store, or paying a late night visit to a romantic partner.... The article even says it would not apply to people in transit.

Sorry, but if a CROWD is GATHERING in public late at night in Paterson... no good is going to come from it.

Everyone wants to complain about crime and violence and "bad areas", yet no one wants to try any solutions.....?

[dhanu86]

Mao'ist nation in the making.

[GiantRutgersfan]

Originally Posted by HeatherLynn822

"going outside" and "GATHERING outside in public" are 2 very different things.

This doesn't sound to me like if you live in Paterson you'd be prohibited from making a late night run to the grocery store, or paying a late night visit to a romantic partner.... The article even says it would not apply to people in transit.

Sorry, but if a CROWD is GATHERING in public late at night in Paterson... no good is going to come from it.

Everyone wants to complain about crime and violence and "bad areas", yet no one wants to try any solutions.....?

So a guy hanging out with his friends cant go outside to smoke a cigarette? a man cant walk to the store with his friends?

Throw in the fact that it is clearly a violation of the constitution, and you got a flat out awful idea

[HeatherLynn822]

Originally Posted by GiantRutgersfan

So a guy hanging out with his friends cant go outside to smoke a cigarette? a man cant walk to the store with his friends?

Throw in the fact that it is clearly a violation of the constitution, and you got a flat out awful idea

Again, those do not sound like what they are talking about. Simple reading comprehension....

outside smoking smoking a cigarette = at an establishment....

walking to the store = in transit....

a bunch of thugs loitering in an empty parking lot plotting their next gang initian is a totally different story. THAT seems to be what they are talking about.

Call me crazy, but I don't think this idea is 100% horrible. Maybe when that ghetto trash town cleans up its act a little bit, it can get some of its rights back. Until then, SOMETHING needs to be done. I think this might be worth a shot. Do YOU have a better idea...?

[GiantRutgersfan]

Originally Posted by HeatherLynn822

Again, those do not sound like what they are talking about. Simple reading comprehension....

outside smoking smoking a cigarette = at an establishment....

walking to the store = in transit....

a bunch of thugs loitering in an empty parking lot plotting their next gang initian is a totally different story. THAT seems to be what they are talking about.

Call me crazy, but I don't think this idea is 100% horrible. Maybe when that ghetto trash town cleans up its act a little bit, it can get some of its rights back. Until then, SOMETHING needs to be done. I think this might be worth a shot. Do YOU have a better idea...?

plenty of people smoke outside of there home (especially in paterson considering most people rent). And the police have no idea whether your a few people walking to the store or a gang. the curfew would effect everyone unless you are in your car (many people in Paterson dont even have cars).

And no, I dont have a solution. I dont live in Paterson and I could really care less if these pieces of trash gangsters kill each other. But it is no justification to infringe on peoples rights.

[VeradoDan]

LOL, maybe the Bloods or Crips lawyers will sue to overturn the curfew.

[sholden]

Originally Posted by HeatherLynn822

Again, those do not sound like what they are talking about. Simple reading comprehension....

outside smoking smoking a cigarette = at an establishment....

walking to the store = in transit....

a bunch of thugs loitering in an empty parking lot plotting their next gang initian is a totally different story. THAT seems to be what they are talking about.

Call me crazy, but I don't think this idea is 100% horrible. Maybe when that ghetto trash town cleans up its act a little bit, it can get some of its rights back. Until then, SOMETHING needs to be done. I think this might be worth a shot. Do YOU have a better idea...?

The article says "The curfew would last for two months and bar people from loitering outside from midnight to 7 a.m." No mention of "gathering".

So waiting outside for the wife to pick you up at midnight would get you 90 days in jail. Well if you aren't white anyway...

It doesn't matter if this "is worth a shot" it's clearly going to be unconstitutional and cost the city a fortune in legal costs and payouts if they arrest someone who can afford a lawyer.

Having the military summarily shoot anyone they don't like would be SOMETHING too, I guess we need to give that a shot?

[SilkCity0416]

Originally Posted by dhanu86;

Mao'ist nation in the making.

Amen.

Really silly and stupid.

[VeradoDan]

Oh, and yeah, this law will never fly. Every town in New Jersey has been required to take their loitering laws off the books because they are unconstitutional. Revising it and calling it a "curfew" won't make it legal, and this will certainly be challenged, most likely successfully. That said, a law like this probably would not be enforced uniformly - ie. the cops would only use it to go after known gang members in known gang hangouts. Of course, that doesn't make it any more legal.

It wouldn't stop gang activity anyway, most likely. By being in a gang in the first place, they've proven they don't much care about the letter of the law. Until urban communities get back to family values, raising children the right way and not accepting crime and drugs as a way of life, these areas will be fertile soil for gangs. Quite frankly, until people stop wearing their 'stop snitching' shirts and actually signal that they WANT things to change for the better, we shouldn't dump any more money into these cities.