Most parents worry about kids getting into trouble when the sun sets.
But, studies show danger lurks long before the sun goes down. The unsupervised after-school hours are the most dangerous for kids and nightmarish for law enforcement. Fifty percent of all juvenile crime happens between the end of school and eight p.m. Only one seventh of crime is committed in the late evening and early morning hours. A University of Southern California study shows that unsupervised eighth graders are more likely to smoke pot, smoke cigarettes, and use drugs than kids who have supervision. Other studies show that younger kids that lack supervision are more likely to get poor grades and behave badly.