Trick or Treating Laws updated

As most of you know there are laws in Virginia that say that people over the age of 14 aren’t allowed to participate in trick or treating. Of course, people do slip through the cracks but did you know that breaking this law is a Class 4 misdemeanor? While that may be the lowest criminal offense in the state of Virginia it’s still a criminal offense that goes on your record. If you’re caught you can get a multitude of punishments while none of them are very serious, they aren’t desirable either.

You may ask why the laws? And the reason being that teenagers tend to cause trouble when they are allowed to walk around neighborhoods in the middle of the night. Also, teenagers have also been known to harass little kids, taking their candy and things like that. So, people thought that it would be better to prevent all of the parent phone calls and drama and just prevent it all from happening. Of course this doesn’t stop all of them but it makes the night more enjoyable for everyone else.

“If  anyone over the age of 14 is caught trick or treating risks getting fined and/or put in jail.” This is straight from the Chesapeake City code where it also states that, “He or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by $25-$100 fine and/or imprisonment of no more than 6 months.” This may seem ridiculous to some but to others this seems completely reasonable. So, what this basically said is that 15 year-olds are not to be seen out in neighborhoods anytime during Halloween night.

Now that people are aware that this is a thing there is probably going to be more violation of the law just because people can. Everyone is aware that there is an age limit on trick or treating but everyone has always taken it as a suggestion but maybe people will start taking it more seriously.  Just because there is a law now doesn’t mean that people are going to not do it but officials are probably hoping it will shy people away from the idea of it.