Your role: Police Officer

Details of the case:

• After 11 p.m., you receive a call about a disturbance from an elderly woman complaining that a group of teens is making a lot of noise near her home.
• When you arrive, the teens scatter, except for one youth about 15 years old.
• You ask him what he and his friends were doing out, since there is a curfew in place that prohibits unaccompanied youths in the community after 10 om on weekdays.
• The boy is dressed neatly, is very polite, and answers all of your questions. He explains that he and his friends were celebrating their high school football team's victory over a rival team, and they had lost track of time.
• When you ask where he lives, he tells you he lives with his grandmother nearby.

What action do you take?

Since the young man is in violation of the curfew law and has contributed to disturbing the peace, you have grounds for taking him into custody. You could also let him go with a warning that he should obey the curfew in the future. On the other hand, you are reasonably sure that the neighbor is going to file a formal complaint.

Consider: Answer each of these questions with full sentences of how you would handle this scenario as a police officer.

• What factors would contribute to your decision to arrest this youth?
• Does this young man qualify for a break, or should he be taken into custody?
• Does he appear to pose a threat to himself or the community?
• Is your objective to punish the youth for his misbehavior or to provide him with an important lesson?
• Should he alone be held accountable for the behavior of everyone in the group?
• Does the fact that he did not fun when you arrived and answered all your questions matter to you in making your decision? Why or why not?