Latest news from Beltsville, MD collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations. Ancestries: African (6.7%), Jamaican (5.7%), Nigerian (2.8%), German (2.4%), American (2.2%), Irish (1.5%).
Missouri currently has no law that states a minimum age. Georgia, Illiniois, Maryland and Oregon are a few of the states with very specific ages. Typically 8 year olds and over can be left at home for up to several hours (usually after school before a parent gets home from work). 12 years old appears to be the most common recommendation. http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm provides a state by state comparison.
These states do not set a specific age after which a child legally can stay home alone but do provide recommendations. I have to say that I am surprised by the lack of official age restrictions in most states. And for the states that do, there is a very wide range of ages: 8-14.2 year old is still a small kid and giving a responsibility of a an even younger kid to a 12 year can be dangerous. Tami This is not the same world as 50 years ago or even 30 years ago. Today our society has more violence in neighborhoods. Child molesters seem to be lurking around every corner.