Making Young Offenders’ Names Public

A cornerstone of the juvenile justice system has been the principle that children who have committed crimes can be rehabilitated, provided they are given a chance.

So, rather than being branded with a criminal reputation for what may have been a youthful mistake, young offenders’ anonymity has been protected except when they are tried as adults. Last week, California Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren said he will push for legislation to strip serious juvenile offenders and graffiti vandals of anonymity upon their arrest.

Should the names of children arrested for tagging and other crimes be released?

Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block:

“I think we are overly protective of juveniles who engage in criminal activity. Maybe if their names were published, the families might exercise control over the juveniles for whom they are responsible.”

Gideon Kanner, Burbank, professor of law emeritus at Loyola Law School:

“I think keeping their names secret is at times silly. The kind of graffiti were talking about is a very serious crime because it strikes at the social fabric. We are talking about serious gangs who use this to put their brand on a neighborhood. This is the gang’s way of saying, ‘We rule here, not the law.’ . . . The people should have the information . . . about criminals.”

Paul Racs, assistant director of the city’s Operation Clean Sweep:

“I know what a lot of taggers want is to get some type of attention, even negative attention. In a way, we’re kind of giving them what they want. . . . Ultimately, they like to see their names in print or to see their tags on television, even if it’s a story that’s negative. It doesn’t seem like it would be much of a deterrent to some 13- or 14-year-old kid.”

Jack Gold, Superior Court commissioner, formerly with the juvenile court in Sylmar:

“I think that’s a good idea because the people in the neighborhood should know who is committing crimes in their neighborhood. . . . I don’t know that releasing the names of juveniles is going to make a dent in the crime problem. They are looking for fame. . . . But it would be helpful to know if someone next door is a tagger.”

Lawrence Sarnoff, division chief of juvenile services, Los Angeles County public defender’s office:

“In my mind it makes no sense whatsoever in regard to graffiti because a graffiti artist is attempting to get that exposure. What he is trying to do is get publicity. Those kids don’t mind having their names spread all over.”

Tom Weissbarth, president of Sylmar Graffiti Busters:

“I would support it, especially because it will make it easier for victims to recover damages from the parents of juvenile offenders.”

LAPD Detective Craig Rhudy, coordinator of the Community Tagger Task Force for the Valley:

“They like to see their tag names public but they don’t like to see their real name released. That’s why they are doing their tagging under cover of darkness, because they don’t want their real names to be known.”