FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question
I suspect that the children next door are being abused. Who should I call?
Answer
If the abuse has occurred in the past and you want to pass on general information, you should contact Child Protective Services at 1-800-344-6000. A referral will be generated and follow-up done. If the abuse is in progress and a child is in immediate danger, the police department should be contacted immediately. The use of 9-1-1 would be appropriate under these circumstances. Police officers will respond and check the welfare of the child or children involved. Police personnel will not disclose your information as the reporting party. You remain anonymous. You may also call in the information anonymously.
Question
My son or daughter refused to go to school. What options are available?
Answer
In response to this question, we would recommend several options. First, the parents need to make some attempts at addressing the problem, since they can be held criminally liable for this children not attending school. Other options include putting the youth through the school district's School Attendance Review Board (SARB) process, being charged with Truancy and referred to Juvenile Court. Also, some schools have Truancy Officers, either from the Juvenile Probation Department or the local police department, that handle all truancy problems. They work with the youth to keep them in school through a contract. In Escondido, Felicia Brown of the San Diego County Juvenile Probation Department is the elementary and middle school probation officer. If the youth has been arrested for an offense and is on probation, truancy can be a violation of probation and their probation officer should be contacted.
Question
What are the curfew hours?
Answer
Escondido Municipal Code 17-54, Curfew, reads:
(a) It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen (18) years to loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play in or upon the public streets, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places and public buildings, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and dawn.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) do not apply when the minor is accompanied by his parents, guardian, or other adult person having the care and custody of the minor, or when the minor is upon an emergency errand directed by his parents, guardian or other adult person having the care and custody of the minor, or when the minor is returning directly home from a meeting, entertainment or recreational activity, or when the presence of such minor in such places is connected with and required by some legitimate business, trade, profession, or occupation in which the minor is lawfully engaged.
If your child is contacted by a police officer for a curfew violation, a citation will be issued to the minor and a parent or guardian will be contacted to come and pick up the minor at the officer's location. If a parent or guardian cannot be located or respond immediately, the minor will be taken to the police station. The officer will continue attempts to locate the parent or responsible party to come and pick up the minor.
Question
What should I do if I suspect that my child is under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
Answer
Pomerado Hospital offers a drug/alcohol testing service where parents can take their child (ages 11-18) to be tested for a fee of $20.00. They will have information as to organizations, agencies, and resources that can be sought to help address the problem. There are other agencies (Additional Resources) that provide similar services. The police department has alcohol/drug abuse resource information as well. If the youth is causing a disturbance or is a physical danger to themselves or others, the police department can be called. Police officers will respond and evaluate the situation, and make any referrals necessary or determine if an arrest is appropriate
