When communities face difficult challenges, the answer should be to invest in young people—not simply restrict them.
That was the message from Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove in a September 17 ABC11 story examining Raleigh’s proposed teen curfew.
The proposed ordinance would have restricted people age 18 and younger from being in public places between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., with limited exceptions. After concerns were raised by community members and business owners, Raleigh leaders paused the proposal to gather additional input.
Dawn has opposed the curfew from the beginning, questioning whether restricting young people’s movement addresses the underlying issues facing Raleigh.
“To spend extra dollars and extra resources creating a Band-Aid for a problem that needs a real solution just seems to be, to me, irresponsible.”
For Emancipate NC, public safety and youth opportunity are not competing goals. Communities can work to create safer neighborhoods while also recognizing that policies aimed at young people can have significant consequences—particularly for young people of color.
Dawn also challenged the use of curfews as a strategy for addressing crime over an extended period.
“Curfews are an ineffective tool to curb crime, especially when they are not being used in acute situations where you have something that is happening right now, but where they are used for a long-term solution.”
Instead of adding another layer of policing and enforcement, Dawn called on Raleigh leaders to consider what young people actually need.
“I would certainly hope that we would see places for our children to gather in at night, places for them that are safe and that are age-appropriate.”
That means investing in spaces and programs where young people can learn, connect, create, and simply be young.
Dawn specifically called for greater investment in public schools, libraries, and robust youth programs, particularly in Southeast Raleigh.
“I would love to see them invest more resources into public schools, into our library programs, and into developing robust programs that are available to children, particularly teens in Southeast Raleigh, to help them find alternative ways to expel their youthful energy.”
At the heart of Dawn’s message is a simple question: What would happen if we invested in young people with the same urgency that we use to regulate them?
Emancipate NC believes communities deserve solutions that address the conditions contributing to harm while protecting the rights and dignity of young people.
That means creating safe, age-appropriate places to gather. It means supporting schools and libraries. It means expanding opportunities for recreation, education, creativity, and connection. And it means listening directly to young people about what their communities need.
Raleigh’s decision to pause consideration of the curfew provides an opportunity for that conversation.
As city leaders continue to gather community input, Emancipate NC will continue pushing for approaches that invest in young people rather than criminalize them—and for public safety strategies that address problems at their roots.