The leading federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. unveiled plans on Friday to hold parents accountable if their teenagers breach the city’s curfew, a strategy aimed at mitigating the escalating issue of “teen takeovers.”
At a press briefing, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro emphasized that taxpayers should not bear the cost of what she termed parental neglect. The event provided an update on the outcomes of President Trump’s previous summer initiative to curb violent crime in the area.
Addressing parents directly, she stated, “Fulfill your responsibilities. Otherwise, we will step in.”
The phenomenon of teen takeovers has increasingly disrupted various parts of Washington, D.C., including the bustling Navy Yard waterfront. These large, impromptu gatherings occasionally escalate, prompting Mayor Muriel Bowser to enforce juvenile curfews. Under the current order, those under 18 must adhere to an 11 p.m. curfew in certain areas.
In response, Pirro announced her office’s plan to apply local statute 22-811, which addresses contributing to the delinquency of a minor, to parents. Although her office cannot prosecute the teens for curfew violations—they fall under the jurisdiction of the local attorney general’s office—Pirro made it clear that this limitation does not extend to the parents. “This does not prevent me from pressing charges against the parents,” she asserted.
“That does not preclude me from bringing charges against the parents,” Pirro told reporters.
