It’s hard to find exact data on exactly how much violent crime is increasing at shopping malls, but signs point to a problem, and teens appear to be a big part of it.
Let’s take a look at some recent changes in mall policies.
After several fights at California’s Moreno Valley Mall, management announced it would require teens to wear lanyards with their names and parent’s contact information on them.
At Westfield Garden State Plaza, New Jersey’s oldest shopping mall, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult after 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. We are also adding a “waiting zone” for young people, which will begin soon.
Pittsburgh malls have a similar rule, meaning that if a teenager is banned from the mall, the accompanying adult will also be banned for the same amount of time.
In Atlanta, some retailers noticed a drop in sales after implementing a chaperone policy for minors.
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Things like this are happening all over the country, and to be honest, I’m very saddened. It saddens me because our teens need a safe place to go just to hang out and have fun. Remember the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic? They were stuck on screens all day. We wanted the day when they could hang out with people in person at the mall.
When I think of some of my favorite childhood memories, it was at a shopping mall. That’s where I had my first job. That’s where I met my first real boyfriend. There I met the singer of my favorite band.
Most of us have such memories, but never in a million years would we have thought that teenagers would now need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to visit a shopping mall. .
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It’s clear that something needs to be done, but I hope you can find another way. Instead of a chaperone, perhaps it’s an ID system that all teens have to check in with. Or maybe more malls will install metal detectors like Lenox Mall in Atlanta.
Look, I know this is a terrible choice. However, the vast majority of teens should be well-behaved and able to meet friends, eat, shop, and make memories.
I understand that. Today is a new day, but for most teens preserving some of the good old days is good for them and good for business.
Angela Poe Russell is a Seattle-based media personality and stand-in host for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more about her commentary and story here.
