Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 17, 1995 TAG: 9508170084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MANASSAS LENGTH: Medium
Kathleen K. Seefeldt, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, seethed earlier this year when she read about graffiti damage to a brand new elementary school.
``It's just an outrage,'' she said. ``It isn't acceptable.''
Last week, she asked state legislators to seek a law that would give counties the power to pull licenses for convicted vandals.
``Young adults place great value on their mobility,'' she said. ``If they're using their mobility to commit these crimes, let's curb their mobility.''
Legislators also should give counties the option to make vandals clean up graffiti and to force parents of juvenile graffiti artists to pay cleanup costs, Seefeldt said.
State Sen. Charles Colgan agreed to introduce a bill covering all those concerns when the General Assembly convenes in January.
Graffiti is ``something we simply must put a stop to,'' Colgan said. ``It removes the polish. It destroys the community's image.''
Removing graffiti quickly is important, law enforcement authorities say.
``It's like the broken window theory,'' said Maj. Gerald Lesko of the Prince William County police. A community that does not fix such blights appears uncaring and may be more inviting to criminals, he said.
Several Virginia localities report graffiti is a growing problem.
Alexandria has a law requiring vandals to pay for cleanup. Last month Richmond's City Council defeated a measure to send graffiti artists to jail for a year and impose fines of $2,500.
``I just want to make sure it hits home,'' Seefeldt said.
In almost all Virginia cases, Graffiti vandalism is prosecuted as a misdemeanor. Although the crime is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine, judges rarely impose such a harsh penalty.
Juvenile court judges already have wide discretion to suspend drivers' licenses, and could do so in graffiti cases, said Mary Devine, senior attorney for the state's Department of Legislative Services.
Seefeldt said she wants the authority to specify a drivers-license penalty in the county's anti-graffiti ordinance. Going after licenses in juvenile court could only affect vandals who are 16 or 17, she said.
Prince William police receive reports of about three to five graffiti cases a month, Lesko said.
But he estimates police have caught only about a dozen graffiti vandals in the past two years. One vandal may be responsible for several crimes, he noted.
``Another law would probably help,'' he said.
Prince William police last year made several arrests after staking out popular graffiti ``tagging'' spots, such as power company transformers, water towers, street signs and secluded walls. The police also set up a graffiti hot line.
by CNB