Jul 11, 2008 11:54 pm US/Eastern
Delaware Mall Teen Curfew In Effect
NEWARK, Del. (CBS) ―
On Friday, Delaware's largest shopping center, the Christiana Mall, officially instituted the Parental Guidance Required program.
The program prohibits teens 17 and under from entering the mall Friday or Saturday nights unless accompanied by an adult 21 or older. Each adult will be permitted to supervise four teens.
After several retailers complained that young people just "hanging out" was bad for business, officials decided to take disciplinary measures.
The restricted hours begin at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and youths must remain under adult supervision for their entire duration on mall grounds.
Security guards are stationed at every entrance to screen everyone who comes into the mall and checking identifications.
While many of the teens who frequent the mall understand why disciplinary action was taken, they don't agree with it.
"We have a Facebook group, it's called 'The official boycott of the Christiana Mall' and we have 900 members" said one teen.
Those 17 and under will be required to wear a red armband to be allowed into the mall after business hours on Friday and Saturday.
"It was designed to be able to bring families back to the mall, so that it was comfortable in a nice, calm shopping environment," mall general manager Steve Chambliss said.
Similar policies have already been instated by 54 malls across the country.
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