For the second year in a row, a summer curfew is now in effect for Newark teens, with those 18 or under required to be home by 11 p.m. unless with an adult.

This is all in an effort to keep teens out of trouble, and Mayor Ras Baraka added that unlike other youth curfews, it does not call for arrests, fines or penalties.

“The Safe Summer Initiative 2025 is a vital step toward building safer, healthier communities in Newark,” said Kyleesha Wingfield Hill, director of the Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery. “Through positive programming in high-crime areas, support for 150 at-risk youth in our Safe Summer Academy, and a curfew focused on safety, we are addressing violence at its roots. This initiative reflects Newark’s commitment to prevention, opportunity, and giving every young person a chance to thrive.”

Without penalties, the measure aims to make teens and their parents accountable for their whereabouts late at night and offers the families resources when warranted. Hill’s office employs an outreach team to find kids out late at night and give them a ride home if needed. If an adult isn’t home, the teens are taken to the city agency’s office until someone picks them up.

Newark officials said the program works, with last year showing a 7% drop in juvenile arrests during the span of the curfew. This year, outreach teams already reported dozens of encounters during the July 4 weekend alone.

The curfew is in effect until the first week of September after the start of school.