Poor teenagers, we are told over and over again, are uneducated, lazy, irresponsible, crime-prone and violent. It should surprise no one that the current demonization of children is based on exaggeration, not fact. It should surprise no one, either, that it's all been said before. Dole also supports uniforms and curfews, plus locking up juvenile offenders in adult prisons and punishing unwed teenage mothers by cutting off their welfare benefits. And it's still early in the campaign.
Scapegoats serve a purpose.
They are potent symbols used to divert an anxious public's attention away from real problems. They are also an occasion to pass all kinds of repressive laws that threaten everybody's rights. Curfews, for instance, are applied to all teenagers, not just the handful that commit crimes. Politicians, anxious to be re-elected, create a diversion to appear tough, but let the real problems fester. They aren't interested in long-term solutions, just quick fixes.