"Tag you R it"

[tat2me82]

I honestly feel that if kids had more to do, most of them wouldn't be getting into the trouble they are now. I also think that most of them haven't learned that they are in control of the choices they make, and they need to understand that some of the choices they make will have consequences not only for them. That goes all back to the parenting though, sheeeeeeesh the morals and respect seem to have completley diminished, it drives me absolutely bonkers!!

All the security cameras in the world won't make much difference if the criminal penalty is a low level misdemeanor. Expanding on some of the posts in this thread, I think that increasing the penalty for gang related graffiti to felony level would be a start. I definately agree there, they make think it's a light offense, but they probably don't factor in the cost of covering it up etc. Possibly adopting a state version of the RICO statutes could be used to bring in a whole group of them instead of singling them out. The gang leaders are the ones running the show but keep their hands clean in terms of being linked to the street violence but use something like RICO could help bring them down.

As far as punishment, I really like the idea of tent city (Maricopa County Jail). No cozy jail cell with three meals a day, medical care, TV, and air conditioning at the taxpayers expense without some kind of real punishment. Get a chain gang together and have them scrub or paint over the graffiti, pick up garbage , or something. Oh yeah, and make the family pay the tab especially if they are juvenilesI'm all for that!! Maybe the parents will start taking a bit more control and action in their kids lives. .[/quote]

[tat2me82]

Originally Posted by gunnar1073

And if you do happen to catch the little bastards that did it. Wait till they go to work at McDonalds and then spray paint "I Garth Brooks" on the side of their tricked out Honda Civic.

That'll teach em.

If they can read.

lol that's hilarious

[Highwayman]

On the subject of making parents more responsible.

Our society has condemned spanking and set up systems to allow kids to turn in parents for abuse if the kid doesn’t like being disciplined. Kids experiment, testing the system and compare notes. As a parent, I resent the idea that the government wants to dictate how I raise my kids and then blame me if their methods fail.

[Mike B.]

Originally Posted by gunnar1073

What it amounts to is the visual gratification of your rebellion against the system.

You want to make it stop. Then paint over it when it happens; immediately. Don't give the depraved little vermin the opportunity to enjoy what they did.

Also keep this crap out of the papers and off the 6:00 news.

gunnar1073,

I understand what you are saying and I appreciate it but...


The only problem with painting over it immediately is that it stays out of the papers, it stays out of the news and it stays out of the minds of the entire community. Maybe every little bit of gang activity (even when they walk down the street) should be published in the paper, every time they buy a can of spray paint, their names and addresses should be published, every time they breath should draw so much attention to them that people sit up and take notice.

This attitude of ignoring them and turning a blind eye to thier activities has gotten us where we are now. It has not worked and never will. The lights need to be turned on them. They need to be exposed and identified. (by name and address) The PD knows who they are and where they live. When the police busts one, thier face should be all over the front page of the paper. And pictures of them should be hung at all the groc. stores, Kwik Trips, Loves and everywhere else.

They should be recognizable to everyone in Dodge.

But God forbid that we ever address an issue in Dodge City, it might make us look like we have problems. So let's just ignore them and paint over thier signs real quick so no-one notices.

[The Drifter]

I agree with gunnar on this one.

Our house was tagged one night and that day that we saw it, we had it painted over by that evening. This does two things. 1) by painting over it, it deters the gang from tagging it again because the property owners give a shit and won't let their property be a "territory" of that gang. 2) It prevents neighbors and the same property from being tagged by rival gangs.

leaving it out there is probably one of the dumbest ideas. The gangs get satisfaction by seeing their colors and numbers on the sides of houses, fences, garages, and police stations. If you paint over it immediately they will see that there is no use tagging there and paint and some person who is too lazy to cover it up. They are smart enough to know what is and isn't worth their time tagging.

Think of it like this. Your kid is acting up and throwing a tantrum...pay attention and the tantrum continues. Remove attention and the kid flys right. Same with the gangs. You remove all the attention from them i.e. press coverage and leaving the tags, then they will be deterred from tagging.

[K C Muffin]

I do too. I forgot to shut the garage door last night (the door between the garage and the house is always unlocked). I went out about 11 to get a bottle of water (frig in the garage is always a nice touch, I think) in my jammies! The cold hit me in the face and woke me up enough to realize it was still open......then hubby asked me if I knew what coulda happened ... mmmmm yeah. I think we live in a sleepy little neighborhood, then when I happen to be awake at 3 and 4 in the morning and look outside, I see the cars that drive by slowly.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Mike B.

gunnar1073,

I understand what you are saying and I appreciate it but...


The only problem with painting over it immediately is that it stays out of the papers, it stays out of the news and it stays out of the minds of the entire community. Maybe every little bit of gang activity (even when they walk down the street) should be published in the paper, every time they buy a can of spray paint, their names and addresses should be published, every time they breath should draw so much attention to them that people sit up and take notice.

This attitude of ignoring them and turning a blind eye to thier activities has gotten us where we are now. It has not worked and never will. The lights need to be turned on them. They need to be exposed and identified. (by name and address) The PD knows who they are and where they live. When the police busts one, thier face should be all over the front page of the paper. And pictures of them should be hung at all the groc. stores, Kwik Trips, Loves and everywhere else.

They should be recognizable to everyone in Dodge.

But God forbid that we ever address an issue in Dodge City, it might make us look like we have problems. So let's just ignore them and paint over thier signs real quick so no-one notices.

I'm with you on that one mike.....I think people should get involved and do big time neighborhood watches. I wish the police would give classes so EVERYONE knew what they knew about these pricks.

[lurker]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

I'm with you on that one mike.....I think people should get involved and do big time neighborhood watches. I wish the police would give classes so EVERYONE knew what they knew about these pricks.

Is Army into his second pot of Army coffy?

[Detector]

I'm on the fence with this issue. I understand the need to remove the tag as soon as possible but I really don't think it is much of a deterrent. In fact it could well entice them just to do it again and again to show they have as much paint and will power as you do.

Is building a higher fence the answer to crime? I think we need to address the problem not the results of the problem.

[357 mag]

Originally Posted by Detector

I'm on the fence with this issue. I understand the need to remove the tag as soon as possible but I really don't think it is much of a deterrent. In fact it could well entice them just to do it again and again to show they have as much paint and will power as you do.

Is building a higher fence the answer to crime? I think we need to address the problem not the results of the problem.

I agree with you Detector, my grandparents have a business down in the park and they are constantly getting hit with graffiti. They go out and cover it up when they see it and within a couple of days it's right back up there. They even went so far as to drive by while my grandma was painting and throw up signs at her and stare her down. It's crap.