Graffiti in Texas? 8 years in Prison, no chance of parole.

[FelixDeCat]

Dont mess with Texas. You better know this, or find out the hard way.

 

[l0cke]

Okay, a pediatric clinic and a medical center? These taggers are just messed up. I think all that spray paint inhalation is getting rid of brain cells that they never actually had a surplus of.

 

[lxskllr]

Okay, a pediatric clinic and a medical center? These taggers are just messed up. I think all that spray paint inhalation is getting rid of brain cells that they never actually had a surplus of.

Huh? What'd you say man?

 

[l0cke]

Huh? What'd you say man?

:awe:

 

[QueBert]

dude... don't even go there... you have no clue what I donate my time to and who I help out. Let alone some of the people that work with me. Let me put it this way, guy I know has been working with reforming gangsters and major criminal offenders for 30+ years.

Here think about this. A kid that does a little tag isn't going to do about $8000 at one time. A wall or sign doesn't cost that unless it's been minted in gold. Think to yourself how much tagging did they have to catch this guy do to equal that sum? Then you realize that this is a repeat offender if they are doing that much tagging. Then you realize, WHY anyone would do that much tagging. It's to mark territory for gangs, drug sales, and other less socially accepted behaviors. You have not a clue form which you speak of if you don't realize the VAST majority of tags is not done by a couple middle schoolers looking to do a one or two time prank and then stop. Don't even go there.

So what I said went completely over your head, the majority of tagging isn't done by gang members. I use to tag in high school, LA & OC are full of tagging crews. We were just that crews. Not gangs, not thugs, we didn't carry guns or fight. We did graf and kept shit peaceful. I stopped in 10th grade, but I still keep in contact with active taggers and none of them belong to a gang. They mark territory with their name because they want to be known. It's called getting up, and the more you get up, the more famous you are. The same reason a person would play WOW endlessly trying to top everyone else in the game. Graf is a competition, it just happens to be illegal and cost the state money to clean up. I guess by definition the crews they belong to are gangs. But they're not running around shooting people and car jacking pregnant chicks. Some gang members do tag, but the majority of graf isn't from them.

Seattle set up a park where graf was legal, they charged $5 to get in, and it stayed packed. There were no outbreaks of violence, just writers all there enjoying themselves. It was shut down because people who lived around there didn't like the idea. If these parks were set up in major cities it would give the kids an outlet to do their graf, so it would keep the city much cleaner and save the state a shit ton of money. People in charge are too stupid to understand this though.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

So what I said went completely over your head, the majority of tagging isn't done by gang members. I use to tag in high school, LA & OC are full of tagging crews. We were just that crews. Not gangs, not thugs, we didn't carry guns or fight. We did graf and kept shit peaceful. I stopped in 10th grade, but I still keep in contact with active taggers and none of them belong to a gang. They mark territory with their name because they want to be known. It's called getting up, and the more you get up, the more famous you are. The same reason a person would play WOW endlessly trying to top everyone else in the game. Graf is a competition, it just happens to be illegal and cost the state money to clean up. I guess by definition the crews they belong to are gangs. But they're not running around shooting people and car jacking pregnant chicks. Some gang members do tag, but the majority of graf isn't from them.

Seattle set up a park where graf was legal, they charged $5 to get in, and it stayed packed. There were no outbreaks of violence, just writers all there enjoying themselves. It was shut down because people who lived around there didn't like the idea. If these parks were set up in major cities it would give the kids an outlet to do their graf, so it would keep the city much cleaner and save the state a shit ton of money. People in charge are too stupid to understand this though.

The kids dont need an "outlet" They NEED a kick in the ass. Ive never done, nor never felt compelled to spray paint someone elses things.

 

[QueBert]

The kids dont need an "outlet" They NEED a kick in the ass. Ive never done, nor never felt compelled to spray paint someone elses things.

The Graffiti part in Seattle was a success, while it was open tagging in the surrounding area went down considerably. These kids do need an outlet, many live in areas that have no after school programs, and no place for them to release their creativity. Just because you've never felt compelled to do it, doesn't mean they don't. We're not talking about something morally wrong here. If these kids wanted to torture cats or have sex with babies they should get throw in jail and have their asses kicked. Many just want to express themselves. If you go to nice areas, they have after school art programs where the kids can go and paint/draw until their hearts are content. The bulk of Graffiti is in poorer areas, so yes, these kids do need an outlet for their art. Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it's not art. Give the teens who do it a place where they can tag legally, and guess what happens? They'll tag where it's legal, and most of the graffiti that litters the city streets will be gone. For the life of me I can't figure out why people who hate taggers would be against this. You want the teens to stop doing it give them an outlet, it's simple. Besides many taggers have went on to be well respected, famous gallery artists, like Dondi & Futura 2000 to name 2. Why not give these taggers a push in the right direction? On the street there's a lot of wasted artistic talent that could be shaped into something special with some help.

http://thecrustycurmudgeon.wordpress.com/2009/08/08/town-teaches-kids-graffiti-as-art/

interesting read about a town in England that had a bad graffiti problem and addressed it by... teaching kids graffiti in a class! It's showing them the right way to do it, and not to be illegal vandals. This would be one of the outlets I was talking about. Education and a place to express yourself are key. As long as kids in America don't have either of these, nothing will stop the graffiti problem. And yes, I think it's a huge problem.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Another poor kid who turned to crime...

Another bad lawyer who turned to the Judiciary...

 

[HumblePie]

So what I said went completely over your head, the majority of tagging isn't done by gang members. I use to tag in high school, LA & OC are full of tagging crews. We were just that crews. Not gangs, not thugs, we didn't carry guns or fight. We did graf and kept shit peaceful. I stopped in 10th grade, but I still keep in contact with active taggers and none of them belong to a gang. They mark territory with their name because they want to be known. It's called getting up, and the more you get up, the more famous you are. The same reason a person would play WOW endlessly trying to top everyone else in the game. Graf is a competition, it just happens to be illegal and cost the state money to clean up. I guess by definition the crews they belong to are gangs. But they're not running around shooting people and car jacking pregnant chicks. Some gang members do tag, but the majority of graf isn't from them.

Seattle set up a park where graf was legal, they charged $5 to get in, and it stayed packed. There were no outbreaks of violence, just writers all there enjoying themselves. It was shut down because people who lived around there didn't like the idea. If these parks were set up in major cities it would give the kids an outlet to do their graf, so it would keep the city much cleaner and save the state a shit ton of money. People in charge are too stupid to understand this though.

Uhh, you do realize that this "crew" you went around tagging with is a GANG. By definition of the term you guys were in a gang. Sure you guys may not have done anything else but tagging, but while you guys were small time, a LARGER MAJORITY is not. The fact you fail to recognize this has nothing to do with the relevant facts.

Also, while you were tagging to "get famous" who do you think those guys you were tagging with were trying to get "famous with?" Unbeknowst to you, I think more than likely some of your previous tagger friends were trying to get noticed by the bigger gangs and be recruited.

Look, there's a local gang like that around here that does their initiation like that. They want to see if the person is capable of a little damage, and disrespect. They make the person do a bunch of tagging, and then if they get interested, they make them do something a bit worse at first before the true test. Next, they have them take a razor blade into heavily populate and public areas to slash the arms of girls wearing purses or handbags just under them. This makes the girl drop the purse to hold her now slashed and bleeding arm. The would be gang banger snatches the purse and run.

After a few purse snatching, they may be given other tests like it or the final test. The final test is to rape a 10 year old girl. Once they do this, they are in. Once they are in, they get access to the true activities of this gang, which include extortion, prostitution, drugs, and slavery. You see, here in Texas, many people (mostly young girls) still get snatched and sent over to Mexico to be exported as slaves.

But BEFORE all that, these gangs verify and make sure the people they take in have just as much dirt on them as they can to see if they can "trust" them not to bust them all.


Ever seen the movie Taken? While the silly part of the movie was the main character, the fact that gangsters, and slavery rings still exist in this day and age are a fact. The great thing about that movie was to bring awareness to people about what really goes on because too many Americans are in a nice little bubble and don't thing "really bad things" happen in the world any more except in a few isolated cases. Tell you what, they are wrong.

The funny thing is, 99% of the major gangs start potential recruits of with doing penny anty shit like tagging. So while YOU may see no real harm done, many others like myself see what really goes on behind the scene.

 

[FelixDeCat]

He should have gotten a job, a haircut, and a shave. All pot smoking taggers are worthless and belong in jail with all the other lowlifes and hoodlums. Everyone agrees with this.

 

[classy]

That is absolutely ridiculous. That is so over the top I don't think there are words that can even describe the rational of this sentence. I bet my bottom dollar that judge will be running for some office and will use the tag line I was tough on crime jive. Pedophiles, major drug dealers, and people convicted of manslaughter to name a few get less time. This is clearly an abuse of power from the bench. I could have seen a jail sentence, even up to a year but an 8 year prison term is a joke.

 

[OFFascist]

I'm from Corpus Christi, TX and I approve of the sentence.

IMO it should be legal for the general public to shoot "taggers" for sport.

If he were caught in the act after dark it would have been legal.

Sec. 9.42. DEADLY FORCE TO PROTECT PROPERTY. A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:

(1) if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41; and

(2) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:

(A) to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime; or

(B) to prevent the other who is fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the property; and

(3) he reasonably believes that:

(A) the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means; or

(B) the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

 

[slayer202]

Me stealing your car isn't a real crime. It doesn't hurt anybody. Those fucking pigs need to spend more time finding the rapists and murders, not us car thieves.

whats an average prison time for stealing a car? first offense i'm sure its a lot less than 8 years. so I can TAKE your $50,000, $100,000 car with the intent to use or sell it, but if I did $8,000 of fixable damage to some buildings I would go to jail for even longer?

you idiots claiming this is some sort of victory need to get your shit checked out. regardless if you think the time is reasonable or not you shouldn't even be happy about it considering the contrast to shorter prison sentences for much more serious crimes. go to texas and cease living please

 

[OFFascist]

whats an average prison time for stealing a car? first offense i'm sure its a lot less than 8 years. so I can TAKE your $50,000, $100,000 car with the intent to use or sell it, but if I did $8,000 of fixable damage to some buildings I would go to jail for even longer?

I would say alot of kinds of cars that are stolen are typically the kind that have insurance on them. Its probably statistically unlikely that someone who has had their car stolen would be victimized in the same way repeatedly.

I would take a wild ass guess and say a car thieve is more likely to be caught and the car (in one form or another) is more likely to be returned to its owner. Compared with a tagger who will probably not get caught as such there is no form of restitution to the property owners, and said property owners are probably likely to be targeted by the taggers.

Yeah it would suck if my car was stolen, but hey its insured. I think I would be alot more pissed if I knew that at night people were coming onto my property and tagging my home, my car, etc, and that if I cleaned it up they would do it again some other night. This would make me not feel safe in my home. I would want to stay up at night to catch who ever is responsible and stop them, permanently. Unfortunately one cannot do that every night.

regardless if you think the time is reasonable or not you shouldn't even be happy about it considering the contrast to shorter prison sentences for much more serious crimes.

I could say I'm not happy about the short sentences for other crimes, but that doesnt mean that this guy should get a shorter one. It just means that others probably deserved harsher ones.

go to texas and cease living please

I'm living just fine in Texas. I've got a job, money, and guns.

 

[wwswimming]

He did about $7300 in damage. Well throw the book at him. 8 Years in prison.

China isn't the only country that has slave labor.

 

[BW86]

Texas sucks

/thread

 

[BudAshes]

Me stealing your car isn't a real crime. It doesn't hurt anybody. Those fucking pigs need to spend more time finding the rapists and murders, not us car thieves.

Well I certainly wouldn't want them to execute car theives. Maybe we can just send them all to australia.

 

[SilverThief]

I happen to live in the very city where this is all taking place. And frankly, I think 8 years is too damn easy. You have no idea the extent of the damage that is done here on a daily basis by these shit bags.

They should be shot in the face. Repeatedly.

Everywhere but Texas sucks
/thread.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

I happen to live in the very city where this is all taking place. And frankly, I think 8 years is too damn easy. You have no idea the extent of the damage that is done here on a daily basis by these shit bags.

They should be shot in the face. Repeatedly.

Everywhere but Texas sucks
/thread.

lol, hang him.

 

[jonks]

Uh no... that's why we have an ever changing law system that can be voted upon. Right now it's not legal, but things can and always do change. At one point in American history it WAS legal. It can be so again

Also, the constitution is made for change. What is not constitutional now can be later. People don't seem to grasp that concept of American law and the Judicial Branch. So again, if society deemed it appropriate that death was an acceptable punishment for say.... stealing bubble gum... then it would be. I'm not saying I want that or agree with that, just making a point.

And again, no. You stated that if the people of Texas enacted a law allowing the death penalty for all crimes, it would be legal. That's incorrect, it would be facially unconstitutional upon passage, which is why it would be extraordinarily unlikely to get passed in the first place. Death for stealing bubblegum would be as disproportionate a punishment with regard to a crime as it is possible to be, and as such is contra the 8th amendment. The 8th amendment is not going to get overturned by a future amendment that says "cruel and unusual punishment is now legal" any more than a constitutional amendment in the future is likely to overturn the civil war amendments making slavery legal again. If your point is that such a law "can happen" in the vein of "anything is possible" then you're making no point at all.

 

[HumblePie]

And again, no. You stated that if the people of Texas enacted a law allowing the death penalty for all crimes, it would be legal. That's incorrect, it would be facially unconstitutional upon passage, which is why it would be extraordinarily unlikely to get passed in the first place. The 8th amendment is not going to get overturned by a future amendment that says "cruel and unusual punishment is now legal". Death for stealing bubblegum would be as disproportionate a punishment with regard to a crime as it is possible to be, as such is contra the 8th amendment. If your point is that such a law "can happen" in the vein of "anything is possible" then you're making no point at all.

Uhh, noo that is NOT what I said. I said if society, the greater of which is AMERICA, decided to make death the punishment for all crime, then it would be constitutional and thus "legal" by the rules of society.

Again, you view death for stealing bubblegum as disproportionate and I agree. However, if in 100 or 200 years everyone in America thought that it was NOT disproportionate for some strange reason, guess what? It would not violate the 8th amendment. That is what I was stating and what I said.

Many punishments though are left up to the states, except in certain cases of capital punishment currently. That is today, but who knows what tomorrow holds. American society could deem that death is acceptable for stealing bubblegum or swing the opposite extreme and decide having sex with a minor is not a crime. It all depends on what society deems acceptable.