Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

The researcher was guided by the concept that if curfew is imposed on minors,

they can be prevented from engaging crimes in the future.

Curfews are built upon the idea that “restricting the hours when young people

may be in public should limit their opportunities to commit crimes or become victims”

(McDowall, 2013, p. 59). With this underlying motivation, such policies can take a

variety of forms, including variations in targeted age groups, hours of operation,

exceptions to the policy, and sanctions for violations (e.g., Ford, 2013, p.2013; Ruefle &

Reynolds, 2014).

Typical curfew policies in larger cities are directed at youth aged up to 17, and

enforced between the hours of 10:00PM – midnight and 4:00 – 6:00 in the morning.

Thus, it is generally believed that juvenile curfew policies encompass a variety of

restricted activities and sanctions, implemented with the intention of controlling

delinquency and increasing public safety. (McDowall, 2015)

Given that curfew laws reduce the amount of time that teenagers spend out of

their homes, curfew laws have been marketed to have the strong potential to limit both

the rate of crimes, such as homicide both committed by and inflicted on teenagers. It

has also been proposed that curfew laws have the potential to strengthen parental

control by making it easier for parents to limit the amount of time that their children are

allowed to spend out of the house (McDowall et al., 2014).

In the Philippines, the Department of Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente B.

Salazar said times have become especially dangerous due to the proliferation of illegal
drugs. Even the most remote barangays have been penetrated by drug dealers and

pushers, according to police and military reports (Calica 2015).

The curfew will help in protecting the minors because most crimes happen at

night. I’m sure parents will support that. I personally do not want young people roaming

around the streets when it’s already late. We can no longer be certain of their safety

because of illegal drugs. Public should only be assured of a proper manner of

apprehending minors violating the curfew. The government can always quell abuses in

imposing rules and regulations and thus fears of stepping on the right of minors can be

addressed by a campaign on the advantages of a curfew.

Local Governor Hermilando Mandanas has likewise backed the plan to

implement curfew hours for minors in Batangas and the rest of the province, saying the

scheme would greatly reduce incidents of street crimes.

Mandanas urged city and municipal mayors to seriously consider imposing

curfew in their respective localities to prevent criminal elements from plying their illegal

activities at night.

In calling all city and municipal mayors outside Batangas City to impose their

respective curfew hours for minors, this could be done through an ordinance passed by

their respective local councils.

Preventive enforcement falls under the heading of protection, and involves the

prevention of crime through the noticeable presence of police vehicle and personnel.

Prevention of crime is the soundest of all criminological philosophy. It is much easier to

patch a crack in the dike than it is to repair the wall after it has brokenIn order to

accomplish this effectively, it is important to remove opportunities for a criminal to take

criminalization by presenting an unattractive target to the criminal. This effort at

removing opportunities is often referred to as target hardening. Target hardening can be

as complex as installing a high-tech alarm system or taking a self-defense course to

something as simple as locking your door. Successful crime prevention efforts will

promote a safer community be enhancing the perception of safety and the attitudes and

behaviors that help people feel safe. (Dolor, 2014).

Crime prevention is the attempt to reduce victimization and to deter crime and

criminals. It is applied specifically to efforts made by governments to reduce crime,

enforce the law, and maintain criminal justice. One of the priority goals of the

government is to establish a harmonious, peaceful, and stable environment conducive

to attain over-all development here in our county. For one, the impact of a sound and

healthy environment greatly affects the welfare of every individual and the overall status

of the economy in the nation (Southern Illinois University, 2015).

Crime is a social disease that needs to be cured. A conceptual framework or

model for the purpose of crime prevention is therefore needed. Having the knowledge

on the etiology of crime, all possible preventive and suppressive method in combating

crime can help deter criminality.

It is believed that an effective criminal justice system calls for the rationalization

and socialization of crime prevention policy and integrating them into national

development goals, for it has been pointed out that most of the weaknesses of the

system are traceable to the failure of authorities to bridge the gap between crime and

social development. (Ramos, 2014)

prevention, adhering to the archaic saying stating that: An ounce of prevention is worth

a pound of crime. Much of the anguish, losses and damage caused by crime can be

simply avoided by preventing its source (Taridio,2013).

It is one of the fundamental duties of the elected officials to see to it that the

society in their jurisdiction should be a place conducive to stay, which means peaceful

society. So, it is one duty of the elected official to make and enact laws which help

prevent the commission of crimes so as to maintain peace and order in their respective

jurisdiction, one of which is the implementation of curfew for minors in Batangas City.

This study aimed to determine the level of attainment of the objectives of curfew

for minors, level of implementation of curfew for minors and the degree of seriousness

in the implementation of curfew for minors in the municipality of various barangays in

Batangas City. Thus, after the root cause were properly identified, the necessary

measures were recommended and formulated to solve the problems.

The paradigm of the study (figure 1) describes the coverage and the direction of

the study. Under the independent variables, the following are determined. The curfew

operation on minors is dependent on the assessment of the level of attainment of the

objectives of curfew on minors, the level of implementation of curfew on minors and the

problems encountered in the implementation of curfew on minors. Differences in the

perceptions among PNP personnel, Barangay officials and parent may exist any

may affect the result of assessment.

VARIABLES VARIABLES
4. Level of awareness of

the respondents about 1. Degree of awareness 1. Batangas City

curfew implementation of the respondents PNP personnel

in their barangay. about curfew 2. . Barangay

5. Implementation of implementation in officials

curfew on minors in their barangay. 3. Parents

terms of omission of 2. Attainment of curfew

customary implementations in

disturbance and terms of omission of

Prevention of juvenile customary

crimes disturbance and

6. Degree of seriousness prevention of juvenile

of problems crimes

encountered in the 3. Level of problem

implementation of seriousness

curfew on minors. encountered.

Figure 1. Paradigm of the study