Thursday, September 16, 1999
City extends daytime curfew for school kids
Council to study rule's effectiveness
BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
School-aged kids who get suspended or expelled from school better keep off the streets of Cincinnati.
By unanimous vote Wednesday, city council approved a proposal by Councilman Phil Heimlich to extend the city's daytime curfew through the end of this year.
The ordinance allows Cincinnati police to arrest children found on public streets, in public places or commercial establishments during school hours unless the children are accompanied by a parent, guardian or other adult charged with their care.
Council members disagreed about whether the curfew, which expired Aug. 31, had helped keep kids in school or out of trouble. But they decided the extension would give the city time to study the impact of the law and determine whether it should be made permanent.
A study led by Lorraine Green Mazerolle, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati, found that some public schools “reacted in positive ways” to the curfew while others experienced a “backfire effect.”
Overall, Dr. Mazerolle said she found the benefits of the law outweighed the problems. Council members asked for a more detailed examination that includes private schools and offers recommendations for alternative programs for kids who have been suspended or expelled.
“A civilized society does not allow its children to roam the streets,” Mr. Heimlich said. “It's that simple.”
But Councilman Todd Portune called the curfew proposal a solution to a problem that “sounds good but further criminalizes society.” He supported the extension in order to get “a complete picture,” he said.
In other action, council referred to committee a recommendation from City Manager John Shirey to increase sewer fees by 7 percent this year and another 7 percent in 2000. Mr. Shirey's report said both increases would raise the average sewer bill by a little more than $3 a month. (Sewer bills are sent out quarterly.)
Even with those increases, Mr. Shirey said officials expect Metropolitan Sewer District fees will remain substantially lower than the sewer fees charged in other cities.
City council will vote on the proposal. Final approval rests with Hamilton County.
Also, council halted payment of $50,000 to Genesis Redevelopment Inc. for professional training until council members can discuss the matter further and vote on it again.
Mr. Heimlich opposed giving any city money to the group, which was found to have misspent city money in a 1995 audit. He called Genesis Redevelopment “people connected politically who have a history of wasting city dollars.”
The auditor asserted then that the group, the development arm of the West End Community Council, had spent $98 in charges to a 1-900 psychic hot line and could not provide receipts or documentation for thousands of dollars in other expenditures.
Vice Mayor Minette Cooper said Genesis Redevelopment should be given the support it needs to help the West End.
And Councilman Charlie Winburn fired back at Mr. Heimlich, saying “one man's pork is another man's chicken,” although he said he likely will vote against the proposal.
Mr. Shirey had advised against giving Genesis the money, saying other agencies could provide the necessary training for free.
Council approved a motion by Councilman Todd Portune to withhold any payment until council can discuss Mr. Shirey's advice in more detail and vote again on the proposal.
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