Vandals In Vests To Tackle Graffiti

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday March 22, 1999

By DAMIEN MURPHY

Armies of young offenders will be clad in fluorescent vests branded with the words "Community Services" as they scrub away at graffiti sprayed on public buildings.

This is the latest law-and- order vision of the Coalition as it raises the stakes in its tough-on-crime promises.

The Opposition Leader, Mrs Chikarovski, said yesterday that wearing the vests was not aimed at humiliating young people but to make them make responsibility for their actions and stop them from "spiralling into a life of crime".

But in television advertisements, Mrs Chikarovski says teenage vandals might be humiliated and that getting "tough early" will work.

She also promised protection for victims of serious crime. She said she would establish a register of "dangerous offenders" who would face two-year jail terms if they made contact with "protected persons".

The Premier, Mr Carr, also stood tough on law and order, announcing 100 new Corrective Service officers to relieve police from prisoner escort duties in regional centres.

He also stressed the success of legislation to improve street safety. He said 531 weapons had been surrendered since he announced an amnesty on prohibited weapons on February 8.

Among surrendered weapons displayed at police headquarters were a falcon slingshot, bombs, silencers, pen guns, "credit card" knives, a mace, swords and flick knives.

Mr Carr said 3,831 dangerous and illegal weapons had been confiscated from searches of more than 9,000 people under the Government's Police and Public safety Act since July.

"This is real progress in making our streets and homes safer, especially for women and children," he said.

The Government has already announced plans to make young offenders sentenced to community service orders clean up graffiti, but Mrs Chikarovski said that in addition to making offenders wear vests, the Coalition would set up a special hotline for reporting graffiti attacks on public property.

Mr Carr said new satellite technology allowing pin-point location would be installed in long-haul prisoner transport vehicles to prevent escapes or hijacks.