Counties across the country have considered placing age restrictions on trick or treating since as early as the 1970s but not everyone is in agreement on what the cut off for Halloween should be
Two towns in New Jersey ahead of the Halloween season have set age restrictions on trick or treating in the hopes of making the holiday safer.
Pennsauken in Camden County has banned children over the age of 14 from trick or treating since 2017. Upper Deerfield Township in nearby Cumberland County done te same this year.
“Trick or treating is for kids, not adults. Anyone over the age of 14 cannot go out trick or treating, unless you’re acting as a chaperone,” Pennsauken said on its website at the time. “And unfortunately, chaperones can’t ask for any candy or treats. They have to wait until they get home to help their kids ‘sort’ the candy.”
Upper Deerfield Township has banned children older than the age of 12 from trick or treating, although the township says that law has never technically been enforced. The age limit there is mostly a suggestion.
New Jersey is not the only state putting age restrictions on trick or treating. Counties throughout the country have enacted similar laws as early as the 1970s. Chesapeake, Virginia has had laws on the books limiting trick or treating to pre-teen children since 1970 as a result of older teenagers harassing younger children.
Under the Chesapeake law those who violate the age restriction law are subject to jail time. However, in 2019 the city council updated the law from the age of 12 to 14 and removed the potential jail time for violating the law. Local officials say they have arrested or charged anyone under this ordinance.
A recent poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University asked 800 Americans if they thought there should be an age limit on trick or treating. Around 25% of respondents said that there should not be an age limit, while the remainder said that kids should stop trick or treating around ages 13-14.
Older respondents thought that kids should stop trick or treating around age 13, while younger respondents believed that children of all ages should be allowed to participate, according to the study.
The study also saw a significant divide among political affiliations with Trump supporters 10% less likely to say that people of all ages should be allowed to trick or treat compared to Harris supporters.
Source: https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/town-set-age-limit-halloween-771473