Tagger-Paddling Bill Decried as No Crime Deterrent

* Regarding Assemblyman Mickey Conroy’s bill to legalize public paddling of juvenile’s convicted of graffiti offenses: Conroy (R-Orange) must be very naive if he believes this would have any deterrent effect.

I have worked for 30 years in public education, both in education of the gifted and dropout-prevention programs. It is clear that corporal punishment (particularly over the age of 5 years) serves only to teach children that physical aggression is an acceptable way to resolve problems. Brutality begets brutality.

Interview the outcasts of society and you will find the vast majority have been beaten in childhood.

The perpetrators of graffiti are largely gang members or “wanna-bes.” In order to join a gang, kids have to be “jumped” in. This is a brutal beating by the gang and is worn as a badge of honor by the new member.

A paddling in court would not approach the violence they have already experienced from the gang, and oftentimes from a brutal family situation.

They might in fact wear this as an additional honor to prove how “big” they are.

Assigning them to work crews to clean up graffiti is much more appropriate and effective.

Instead of building 14 new prisons in California over the next few years, why not take the money earmarked for one of these and apply it to one of the effective gang prevention programs that will bring these kids into the mainstream.

They do not live in a “Father Knows Best” world. They don’t have role models. They need to be helped into productive citizenship, not beaten and humiliated. They get enough of that already.

EILEEN LILLY

San Clemente

* Assemblyman Mickey Conroy has introduced a bill requiring juvenile graffiti vandals to be paddled in court by their parents. The judge would decide if the smacks were hard enough to satisfy the court.

Conroy has received national attention for his proposal, and other politicians are now following his lead.

But Mickey, here is a much better idea. Men found guilty of beating their wives would appear in court where they would be paddled by their parents and grandparents who taught them the value of violence. And Mickey, we would do this live on national TV with you in attendance.

We need to break the cycle of violence in our country, not promote it. Juveniles do graffiti along with their older adult friends who taught them how.

One strike and you are out rather than probation is needed. Work crews of offenders removing graffiti, along with group sessions involving parents, would be appropriate and effective.

JACK CORKERY

San Clemente