County ordinance to establish civil penalties for graffii vandals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:  Angie Castro, (213) 703-2823

 

                                                                       

MOLINA PRESENTS GRAFFITI PILOT RESULTS AND INTRODUCES ORDINANCE ALLOWING COUNTY TO RECOVER COSTS CIVILLY

 

Significant and Visible Crime Reduction Attributed to Graffiti Pilot  - 168 Arrests
in Six Months, Weapons and Drugs Seized, Prolific Taggers Caught

 

Parents Thankful for Parent Accountability Program

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY (August 11, 2008) – At the Board of Supervisors meeting
Aug 12, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina will announce the results of her
six-month Graffiti Enforcement Pilot which resulted in 168 arrests; crime reduction in Pico Rivera and West and South Whittier (county); and parents and youth offenders voluntarily attending counseling programs.  As an extension of the Pilot, Molina will also introduce a new Ordinance establishing a civil procedure for the County to pursue graffiti vandals civilly.  Molina has also requested the District Attorney to add a first-time offenders Hearing Process and will be requesting a Court Commissioner for graffiti criminal cases involving minors. 

WHO:             

·         Parents will testify re success of Parent accountability program

·         Supervisor Gloria Molina and Sheriff’s Station Captain Mike Rothans

·         Probation, District Attorney’s Office and Spiritt Family Services

·         City of Pico Rivera

 

WHEN:          Tues, Aug 12 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:         County Board of Supervisors Meeting                                                                                           

Hall of Administration, Board Room 381B, L.A. 90012

In response to the violent deaths of Pico Rivera resident Maria Hicks and Valinda resident Robert Whitehead, who tried to stop graffiti vandals, Molina wanted an aggressive graffiti enforcement effort which also held parents accountable and required restitution for damages and enforcement costs.  Most recently, East L.A. resident Luis Gonzalez became another “graffiti” murder victim.  Molina launched the successful six-month Graffiti/Vandalism Enforcement Team (VET) Pilot Jan 2008 in partnership with the Sheriff’s Department, Pico Rivera, Probation and District Attorney.  Spiritt Family Services provided the Parent Project and youth intervention programs for voluntary or court mandated cases.  Many of the participating parents, who voluntarily enrolled in the program, were initially in denial about their kid’s graffiti involvement.   –END-