Graffiti fight aided by Molina ordinance

Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina's Civil Graffiti Ordinance that was unanimously approved has just gone into effect.

The ordinance expands Molina's graffiti-enforcement program and allows for a civil process in addition to the existing criminal procedures.

"Graffiti is an epidemic -- and through our Graffiti/VET Pilot and prevention efforts, we are telling the graffiti vandals we mean business," Molina said. 

Under the new graffiti ordinance prepared by Supervisor Molina:

• The County can declare itself a "graffiti victim" and recover costs for graffiti abatement -- including enforcement, removal and damages.
• The County can recoup unpaid costs through liens or special assessments against the property of the graffiti offender or parent/guardian of offending minor. 
• The cost of graffiti abatement has been reassessed to truly reflect the true cost to taxpayers for removal, repair or replacement of defaced property to $522; and $665 for enforcement per incident in county areas.
• Adult graffiti offenders are subject to a civil citation issued by the sheriff, and administered through the county's ombudsman for fines up to $1,000. First Offense is $250; second, $750; third, $750; fourth, $1,000, along with a non-compliance fee. If financial hardship, community service in lieu of the fine could be considered.

  The new ordinance expands Molina's graffiti-enforcement program, which resulted in 168 arrests and confiscation of weapons, drugs and graffiti tools within a six-month period this year. This included parents who completed the Parent Project and the minors who enrolled in a youth-intervention program.

As a result of long delays in the system with cases involving minors, Molina has also asked the District Attorney's office to apply its Juvenile Offender Information Network (JOIN) to graffiti cases for minors with first-time offenses.  It allows for a contractual agreement with the minor -- requiring community service, youth counseling program, outstanding school attendance -- and the parent/legal guardian is required to pay restitution and complete the Parent Project program.

"This is about preventive services for families, intervention programming for first time offenders, and aggressive suppression and enforcement for the most egregious taggers.

"As long as we are successfully prosecuting graffiti vandals and holding parents accountable -- we are making progress in our fight against graffiti and crime," Molina said. 

In response to the murders of Pico Rivera resident Maria Hicks and Valinda resident Robert Whitehead, who tried to stop graffiti vandals, Molina initiated an aggressive graffiti-enforcement effort that holds parents accountable and requires restitution for damages and enforcement costs. Most recently, East L.A. resident Luis Gonzalez became another "graffiti" murder victim.