What's your opinion on teen loitering?

Question

I'm doing a project on teen loitering, and I'd really appreciate any personal opinions and veiws.

Do you think that teens are discriminated against? Do you think that it's just a stupid excuse to get rid of us? Do you think that adults think that we're as bad as they were when they were young? Are we treated fairly? Is teen loitering actually real?

Answer 1

i don't think all teens are discriminated against. for example, where i live, my gutterpunk friends can't walk outside without being discriminated against by cops and everyone else all the time, but i don't hear any of it because i'm not like them. most adults think that "kids today" are so much worse then they were. really, we're all the same. but it's always been this way. their parents did the same thing.

Answer 2

Every generation going back 2,000 years had the previous generations convinced they were a bunch of lowlifes who were so much worse than they were when they were kids. They've found the Latin equivalent of "These kids today!" in ancient Rome. Every generation has to deal with that nonsense, and every generation says the same things when they get older.

I think there is a lot of discrimination against teens. They're an easy target- they can't vote, they horrify their elders (see above), and you can always claim you're just trying to help the kids. I don't think there's any more or less nowadays than there was 20, 50, or 100 years ago, though.

Teens do loiter, and I can kinda understand why businesses don't like that. However, kids often don't have lots of places to go to hang out, and loitering doesn't mean "casing the joint to rob it later". Teens aren't the only ones to do it, either, but adults generally have places to go where they don't have to deal with parents or other authority figures. For instance, I don't have to hang out by the 7-11 because I don't have to live at home and I can go to a bar or drive to the coffeeshop. Before I got my license and attained adulthood, though, my choices were severely limited.

Answer 3

Too many people forget when they were teens. It has been a long time but I remember loitering on street corners after the youth center closed. Back then there were no drug problems and teenagers were happy with a few beers of 1/2 pint of hard stuff now and then. That was mostly to show how mature we were. Getting to feel up a girl and making out was not as involved as it is today and life was much easier on everyone. Instead of being glued to the tube or computers we met and done innocent stuff. Before we learned to drive we learned to hang out and people around the neighborhood did not get bent out of shape about it.
The violence today has closed down many community centers for the young and the fast pace of modern America puts far more pressure on young people than I faced. I think the big difference was my parents set rules and they were followed. A good butt kicking was something everyone wanted to avoid and there were no people charging abuse for whacking a misbehaving child. Sure that may have cause a few problems but my generation did not have bipolar problems or gang problems. There was no need for drugs because in that simpler time getting to cop a feel and dancing were enough for most of the teenagers. Teens need something to do besides hide and get into more trouble than having a place to go and socialize.

Answer 4

Part of the "problem" of teen loitering, is the lack of places for teens to go in most towns. I know that in the town I grew up in, there was almost nothing for teens to do. The movie theater had closed, the few arcades that opened were usually closed down due to community (a lot of time church groups) pressure, there was no community center, so we usually ended up "loitering" some place. At least until we were old enough to drive and then could drive some place for something to do.

And the town has not changed much. Still nothing for teens to do (sorry, not all teens are thrilled to form reading groups at the library, I know I wasn't), no interest in building a community center or anything like that, and people complain that they are loitering.

(Every time you turn around though, there is something for the elderly to do.)

Answer 5

Honestly, I have never heard of "teen loitering". It could just be "loitering", or whoever is pushing the idea is just an asshole. I'm 17, and I experience a lot of discrimination in a lot of things. It could be that I'm female. It could be that I'm pretty. It could be that I'm 17. I really don't know.
Adults are...lets say...they know who they are. And they know that when they were teens they aren't what they were then. I really don't know how to explain it besides a jealousy on the younger generation. There's more stuff for us to do, and we have a clean slate to start a life. Adults don't have that. They have lived their life, chosen their choices, so on and so forth.
I really don't know the exact answer to this question, but I hope I gave an insight for something to click in your own head.

Answer 6

Laws against teen loitering are unconstitutional because they violate one's first Amendment right to assemble peaceably...for now. Who knows what else Bush will amend in the constitution before he leaves office.
If you are a teenager, know your rights so you can tell them to the next police officer or adult who illegally harasses you.
For me the word loitering invokes an image of old men drinking out of paper bags behind a 7-11 or a few hookers standing on a corner, not a group of teenagers giggling on cell phones and networking.
I think that many adults believe that today's teens are as bad as they were. I don't. How can they be with todays parking lot cameras, ATM cameras, store cameras, traffic light cameras, cell phones, camera phones, WI-FI connections? Now there is really no room for error.

Answer 7

I think teen loitering makes some people not want to enter the business where teens are loitering.

Answer 8

Hanging out on some corner was part of being teenager, and think in many cases there is over reaction by people with short memories BUT most of the time people passing by were not hindered and never say anyone hurassed older person. We didn't have boom boxes, and guess if we did they would have been played loud enough to dance, but not shake surrounding windows. Those that drank generally were not welcome. Some of the behavior you let happen makes it tuf for those that want to leave teens alone within limits.

Answer 9

the guy feels like a con artist and a ability criminal. would not count no count in case you have been loitering or no longer, why became he the single to accuse you of this to "ensure you left". A cop could have a uniform, a mall cop could too. feels like he has adventure and has found out that he can escape with pretending to have authority. call the mall and tell them what occurred. Describe as you probably did in this submit. If evidently the guy became in certainty an worker -t hi could desire to alter their rules so as that such circumstances are extra sparkling. i might additionally call the police and describe the incident.

Answer 10

I think although its really unfair to "tar" all teenagers with the same brush i also believe its difficult not to all teenagers have a small group of friends and often hang around on streets with them which to outsiders looks intimidating even if they are harmlessly stading talking to eachother. Its the ones breaking glass and smashing things up including those who stole my mothers umbrella off her and smashed it up in front of her. I believe that if "kids" had something to do a youth area where they could play pool and football and what ever they would have the chance to earn respect and learn how to behave without getting bored. good behaviour = the right to attend, if your not well behaved inside you can send them away hope this helps