Laws Pertaining to Minors - Curfew
Curfew
Curfew violations are city ordinances. The City of Thousand Oaks is actively enforcing a "daytime" curfew as well as a "nighttime" curfew. While the Thousand Oaks Curfew Program is new, other cities are working toward adopting similar programs.
City of Thousand Oaks Curfew Program
The night time curfew in the City of Thousand Oaks is between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. Any minor under the age of eighteen years may not loiter in or upon public streets, sidewalks, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public gr
ounds, public places or public buildings, places of amusement, eating places, entertainment places, vacant lots, or be on private property without the express consent of the owner or person having the care and control of the property, or other unsupervise
d places. The definitions of "loiter" is to sit, stand without a purpose for a long time or aimlessly walk, wander, drive or ride about without a lawful purpose. Minors will receive tickets for violating curfew.
The daytime curfew is between the hours of 8:30am and 1:30pm on days when school is in session. Any minor under the age of eighteen years, who is subject to mandatory education or mandatory continuation education may not loiter, wantder or be in or upon
the public streets, sidewalks, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places, public buildings, places of amusement and eating places or any unsupervised place during these hours when school is in session.
Minors, between the age of twelve and seventeen, who are caught out of school will be given
a ticket for violating curfew. They will then be escorted by the police agency back to school. The student will be released into the custody of the administrator for the school, usually. This will be the principle or the assistant principal. A letter
will also be mailed to the parent/guardian advising them of the violation and giving them notice that any further violations will result in a civil penalty for the cost of the police services up to $2,500.
The bail on these violations is $135. The minor can pay the ticket with the court clerk's office without going to Court. If the minor cannot pay the bail, or make payments, they must appear in Court before the Commissioner. The Commissioner will then o
rder the minor to perform several hours of community service. This is generally volunteer work administered through the Juvenile Probation department. The parents are under no obligation to pay the fine for the minor.
The above curfew law does not apply when:
1. The minor is accompanied by his or her parent, legal guardian or other adult person having the legal care or custody of the minor, or by his or her spuse eighteen years of ago or older; or
2. The minor is engaged on an errand as directed by his or her parent or legal guardian or other adult person having the legal care or custody of the minor, or by his or her spouse eighteen years of age or older; or
3. The minor is returning directly home from a public meeting, or a place of public entertainment, such as a movie, play, sporting event or school activity; or
4. The presence of such minor in said place or places is connected with or required with respect to a business, trade, profession or occupation in which the minor is lawfully engaged; or
5. The minor is going or coming directly from or to their job, or to or from a medical appointment; or
6. The minor student has permission to leave school campus for lunch or school related activity and had in their possession avalid, school issued, off-campus permit; or
7. The minor is in the active military service of the United States.
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