D.C. US Attorney to Prosecute Parents of Teens Breaking Curfew

The top federal prosecutor in Washington announced Friday that her office plans to target parents if their teenagers violate the local curfew. The move aims to curb the growing problem of teen takeovers.

"Law-abiding taxpayers should no longer have to pay for parental neglect," D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said at a news conference. The event updated reporters on results from President Trump's law enforcement surge, launched last summer to reduce violent crime in the city.

"Parents: Do your job. Or we will do ours," she said.

Teen takeovers have become a frequent nuisance in Washington, particularly in popular spots like the Navy Yard waterfront. These flash mob-style gatherings of large teen groups have sometimes escalated, leading D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to impose juvenile curfews there. The curfews set an 11 p.m. limit for those under 18.

Pirro said her office will enforce local statute 22-811 against parents for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Her office cannot prosecute the teens themselves for curfew violations, which fall to the local attorney general's office.

"That does not preclude me from bringing charges against the parents," Pirro told reporters.