Tagged-acts-FAQ&A-Rauterkus

===Question:===
Our fence was "tagged" last week and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems. I don't suppose there is anything to be gained by reporting this to the police?
===Reply from Mark Rauterkus in October, 2006===
Well, there might be some benefit to report the vandalism.
I'd take a digital photo of it.
First, when folks are caught, if there are not a good list of other
damages caused -- then there can not be evidence so as to extract more
community service and fees from the one's who are causing the damages.
Second, there might be a trend that makes sense to some
law-professionals, that are NOT known to a home-owner. Perhaps it is a
tag from another area that means some extra creep (pun intended).
At one time, there was some talk about a public database of these
marks of vandals, but it hasn't come to bear fruit in my estimation.
On the South Side, there is a bunch of noise, but without any results,
where community members walk around an do an inventory of the damage.
The time is a waste, 99.9%. It would be better to clean it up -- and
not do so much naval gazing, until a robust inbox can be built, and
supported, by authorities.
But, this is the type of leadership I'd expect from folks in office
now who are not tech leaders and with an open-source appreciation.
Furthermore, one of the worst things you can do is put a photo of the
damage in the newspaper or give it more visibility. This was the case
when a nonprofit had its big white van tagged. They took a photo of
the vandal's work and put it in the weekly newspaper. Then the van got
fixed and hit -- I think three more times in that cycle.
I wish Wireless Neighborhoods would make such a digital reporting tool
for these acts for citizens to use to engage with the police and
district magistrates.
This sounds like a good use for the new 3-1-1 call center in the city.
It is a non-emergency.