Threatening jail time for teenage trick-or-treating? It's actually laughable because there is NO way that would happen. WORST case scenario, if some unruly teens were vandalizing, or being otherwise being menacing, sure they could get arrested and charged in juvenile court. Even then, (which is not trick or treating) they are NOT going to serve jail time. A teen respectfully going trick or treating whose only crime is being over the age of 12? No court authority in their right mind is going to punish for that. The worst that will happen is that teen may ring the bell of some seriously cranky and judgmental homeowner and be treated rudely. What makes me sad is that teens and naive children trusting in the word of adults will actually believe the threats of these serious consequences, and the adults who published this warning KNOW it would never come to that.
Adult door-to-door solicitors, religious converters, or political activists are so much worse, and no one is threatening to arrest them or put them in jail. Can't we just leave Halloween alone? Anyone in costume or escorting younger children is welcome to trick or treat at my house. I don't care about age. Some kids are tall, and look a lot older than their ages. Some have disabilities, and their emotional ages are much younger than their chronological ages. 13 and 14 year olds, any age teenagers really, don't need to grow up too soon anyway. Let them enjoy childhood fun as long as possible. So what about a group of 7th graders wants to go trick or treating and it's, sorry Billy, you turned 13 last month, you can't go. The rest of us are still 12, so see you later. And I just can't believe people can make snarky comments to any kids that they shouldn't be trick or treating, or go so far as to put something like this out there.