Graffiti Around the Southland: Youthful Art or Vandalism?
As a long-time resident of Encino I have been extremely disturbed by the marked increase in graffiti in Encino, Sherman Oaks and other areas of the San Fernando Valley.
Unfortunately, Citron’s article on the subject seems to deal more on what graffiti is and who is engaged in this vandalism than the disastrous effect it is having on our neighborhoods and what we intend to do about it.
I was shocked to read in Citron’s story that there was “a shared belief among (graffiti) ‘taggers’ that, as juveniles, they are immune from serious legal consequences.”
Let us hope that this belief can be changed--and promptly. Instead of “a several hundred dollar penalty” if they are caught by the police, let’s have a $1,000 minimum penalty, 30 days in jail or on a work gang, or both.
And then let us hope the police can catch these vandals and you can give that story plenty of publicity. It could also be given the necessary coverage on TV.
If not, these vandals will destroy our city just as certainly as I am writing this letter.
JOHN L. FOLLANSBEE
Encino
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