March 16--The carrot-and-stick approach to keeping youngsters out of trouble continued Wednesday with discussion of a curfew for juveniles.

Recently announced plans are moving forward by nonprofit groups to build skate parks and bike tracks, and now the Board of Aldermen is tweaking the city's curfew ordinance.

The aldermen found recently that the ordinance on the books contained some unnecessary exceptions and complicated language. On Wednesday they agreed to vote on several changes to it, including a $1,000 fine.

The curfew period will not change under the proposal: It ends at 6 a.m. and begins at 11:59 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and starts at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Once adopted, the ordinance will apply to people under age 17 who are not legally married or emancipated.

Parents, guardians and business operators may be cited and fined up to $1,000 if they allow juveniles to break the curfew. Aldermen decided against making the violation a misdemeanor offense and made it a municipal infraction.

The ordinance defines the places, times and reasons why juveniles are allowed to be out without adult supervision during curfew. The ordinance no longer requires advance permission from police to be out for authorized purposes.

"This has been made a lot more clear," Police Lt. Jason Keckler said.

Police Chief Kim Dine said a small percentage of juveniles violate the curfew, and in those cases there are often family situations at work that enable or cause them to be out after hours. Enforcing the curfew ordinance likely would not fix those situations, he said.

"We view it just as a tool. It's not a panacea," Dine said.

He said it is difficult to provide the separate quarters required to house juveniles if they are picked up, and many legal exceptions to enforcement remain, including constitutional issues and travel to authorized activities.

"It has its challenges. ... There are so many exceptions, it's kind of tough (to enforce)," Dine said.

Alderwoman Carol Krimm said the curfew will be available in the extreme cases.

"Again, lots of discretion," Krimm said. "We're not out to punish the juveniles in our community."

"We do have a tool with teeth now," Keckler said.

Aldermen will vote on final changes to the ordinance at a future public meeting.

Copyright 2012 - The Frederick News-Post, Md.