Curfew laws, taking affect a hundred of the years ago in Europe, originated among the upper class of society to enforce standards of control upon the lower class. The imposition of a restriction on the hours by which citizens could be out in the public as a way to curb social control is not new. Curfew laws can be traced back more than 1100 years to the rule of Alfred the Great (849-899) in England. It was during this time that the evening bell was rung to signal the residents of Oxford that their fires should be doused and that they should retire to their homes for the night. During William the Conqueror (1066-1087) a ringing bell was also the signal so that the Englishmen would know that it was time for them to retire and retreat to their homes for the night as well. This particular curfew was enforced as a control mechanism to prevent the Anglo Saxons from congregating and causing any problems during the evening hours. The theory behind curfew laws is that crime originates......
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