Protect Boston’s Youth: Support a Reasonable Curfew and Stronger Intervention for At-Risk Teens

As a parent and resident of Boston, I am starting this petition because I have personally experienced the fear, frustration, and helplessness that many families face when their children repeatedly leave home late at night and place themselves in dangerous situations.

I have filed multiple police reports regarding my own 14-year-old child. Many officers know me by name because of the number of times I have had to seek help. Like many parents in our city, I worry every night about whether my child will come home safely.

Across Boston, we continue to see reports of young teens roaming the streets after midnight. Some are only 13 or 14 years old. Many parents are searching for children who have left home, filing missing person reports, and desperately trying to keep them safe. At the same time, too many young people are becoming victims of violence, exploitation, drug activity, accidents, and other dangerous situations during late-night hours.

This is not about criminalizing children. It is about protecting them.

Parents need more support. Communities need more resources. Law enforcement and youth services need stronger tools to intervene before a tragedy occurs.

We are calling on Boston city leaders to:

Consider establishing a reasonable nighttime curfew for minors, with appropriate exceptions for work, school, emergencies, and supervised activities.
Create stronger intervention programs for repeatedly missing or runaway youth.
Expand youth outreach, counseling, mentorship, and family support services.
Improve coordination between law enforcement, schools, social workers, and community organizations when children are repeatedly reported missing.
Develop proactive strategies to identify and assist youth who are regularly found on the streets during overnight hours.
Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safely. Every parent deserves meaningful support when they are struggling to protect their child.

We ask the Mayor, City Council, public safety officials, and community leaders to take action before more young lives are lost or forever changed.

Please sign this petition and help us advocate for safer streets, stronger support systems, and better protection for Boston’s youth.

Together, we can work toward solutions that keep our children safe.