Editor’s note: This is another in a series of columns about youth welfare on the island. By The Garden Island It’s nearly summer time, and school will soon be out. It is very important that families know what the curfew
Editor’s note: This is another in a series of columns about youth welfare on the island.
By The Garden Island
It’s nearly summer time, and school will soon be out. It is very important that families know what the curfew is in Hawai’i. There is an evening curfew that extends until 6 a.m. Often families come to Teen Court and state that they don’t know what the curfew is.
I asked Officer Dean Pigao, who was the supervising officer for juveniles at the time, what they meant by “responsible adult.” It meant that the adult was keeping the juvenile in a safe situation. An example of that would be an auntie watching a child at a beach party, or at the movies. It did not mean the 18-year-old boyfriend who was giving beer to his 16-year-old girlfriend, or the 20-year-old uncle driving his 14-year-old nephew in his drag races.
The Kaua’i Police Department does arrest for curfew violations. Be informed.
“In Your Corner” is a phrase that means support. Its origin comes from boxing. In between rounds, the boxer retires to his corner, and a group of people coach him, give him medical help, water, and cheer him on.
Several adults have “stepped into the corner” for our teens to answer questions and give support in the boxing ring of life. They are KC Lum, Kaua’i Police Chief, Catherine Stovall, community response specialist, County of Kaua’i; Edmund Acoba, Public Defender, Craig DeCosta, county Prosecuting Attorney, and Annaleah Atkinson, Teen Court Manager for Hale ‘Opio Kaua’i.
• Questions for this column may be e-mailed to Atkinson at aatkinson@haleopio.org, or sent through the U.S. Postal Service to her at Annaleah Atkinson, 2959 ‘Umi St., Lihu‘e, HI 96766. She will forward them to the one who can most appropriately answer them. There is also a toll-free Teen Hotline, 1-877-521-8336.
