January 15, 2024
Jim Walsh/Cherry Hill Courier-Post via Imagn
The Deptford Mall in Gloucester County is requiring teens to be accompanied by adult chaperones, who are either a parents or older than 25. The rule is in place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays after 5 p.m.
The Deptford Mall is requiring teens at the shopping center on weekend evenings to be accompanied by adult chaperones.
The new policy is in effect at the mall in Gloucester County from Friday through Sunday nights after 5 p.m. and mandates that anyone younger than 18 be accompanied by someone who is at least 25 years old. The mall's owner, Macerich, said the new rules apply to the mall's common area. Some anchor stores, restaurants, retailers and other businesses surrounding the mall may have their own policies.
Parents are permitted to escort all of their children, but other adults are allowed to supervise as many as four teens at a time. "Supervising adults are responsible for the actions of the youth they accompany," the policy says.
The mall's management also said it will ask for proof of age from teens and their adult chaperones. The Deptford Police Department posted a photo on Facebook of a flyer from the mall detailing the parental escort policy.
Other malls, businesses and municipalities have placed restrictions on unaccompanied minors in the last couple years.
In the spring, Fashion District Philadelphia in Center City began prohibiting teens from entering unsupervised after 2 p.m. every day. The policy followed incidents in April when more than 300 teenagers caused disturbances in Center City, including at the mall. Macerich is the controlling owner of Fashion District Philadelphia since its co-owner in the shopping center, PREIT, filed for bankruptcy in December.
In the past, the Cherry Hill Mall, another PREIT property, has required teens to be accompanied by adults around Christmas.
Last summer, Allentown's Dorney Park had a chaperone policy for amusement park guests younger than 16, and Ocean City and Sea Isle City were among the Jersey Shore towns to adopt new ordinances to keep teens from gathering on the towns' boardwalks and beaches late at night. Ocean City's leaders passed a rule that allows officers to detain juveniles who cause problems until their parents come pick them up at the police station, among other restrictions. The Sea Isle City council enacted a curfew and restricted when people could carry backpacks. Both shore towns cited problem with teens during the last couple years.
