WASHINGTON (7News) -- If you've noticed fewer teenagers on the streets of D.C. this summer, that's because a youth curfew appears to be working to keep them out of trouble and off the streets at night.
There's a city-wide juvenile curfew in place for those 17 and under every day from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., but the Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith also has the power to enact stricter curfew "zones," which are enforced from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. for a few days at a time. That's when groups of nine or more are prohibited from gathering in any public place or establishment.
7News has covered these designated zones, which have been established in Navy Yard, the U Street Corridor, and parts of Northeast D.C. so far this summer.
MPD tells 7News there have been no violators within those zones.
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Locals tell us they've certainly noticed the difference and are relieved to see the curfew is working.
"All the stuff that they're doing for the curfews and everything, limiting stuff, it's a lot better than what it was," MaKenzie Wilburn said. "Not having all the kids just lining out, just hanging outside the stores. It's a lot easier to go around places now, not having to worry or watch out and wonder what they're gonna do next."
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"Until they stop being outside, continue to patrol the streets," Fernando Russell told Golden on U Street. "I'm sorry, like, I love the curfew. Why not? Why should they be outside at 10 o'clock, 8 o'clock? Whatever, keep them in the house. They're kids."
Some others, meanwhile, don't believe the curfew has made a difference and welcome other ideas.
"I don't think it's right," Jose Ramirez said in Navy Yard. "I think it's really unfair for the young people in the city. Give them more resources; All these resources that are going to stadiums and other places, like that, why don't you put a community center, or the community centers that we have, more funding into them?"
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"Right now, like no disrespect to my streets, no disrespect to the DMV, but we're not doing our absolute best with providing spaces for any age group to grow healthily and successfully," one man said on U Street who chose not to share his name.
The city does host a weekly Late Night Hype series of carnival-style events across the district, intended to keep young people busy on Friday summer evenings.
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"Yeah, that's a good idea, and they should do more of it," Ramirez said.
"That needs to be more," the other man added. "If you're gonna have it in the summer, you need to have it more because these kids are outside."
Chief Smith has the power to establish a designated juvenile curfew zone through August 31, which locals gladly welcome.
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"Whoever is in charge of it, good job getting the kids off the street," Russell said. "That's all I'm trying to say."
"It's a lot quieter today," William Richards said alongside his fiancée, Wilburn. "It's peaceful today. It's real relaxing. Like we can listen around, it's nice and quiet."