YOUR COMMENTS

I wounder what the Taliban would do with them? Cut off their hands?
- Bill, exeter

CT in Concord,

Im just stating how I feel about it. Yes I would care if it was my car or whatever else. But welcome to the real world. Things like this is going to happen but its not the end of the world. Least they arnt going around killing people. Thats why I said it was harmless because it honestly really is. Not going to argue about something stupid with someone I dont know and never will know. Not with my time. Just stating how I feel. End of story
- J, Manchester

Obviously Jim D, Hillsboro's comment about the ACLU was tongue-in-cheek, but he's on the right track. "Public humiliation", while 'fitting the crime', will surely be siezed upon by the ACLU or at the least by their defense attorneys and won't be allowed to stand. I say- a bit of jail time, clean-up duty (at a minimum all of their own tags) and probation- including the threat of the maximum jail time allowed for a re-offense.
- Rick W., Manchester

Graffitti tears at the heart of many cities. First off, Manchester does have a graffiitti officer assigned to not only investigate the graffitti but to identify the graffiiti tagger through their "calling card". WHile graffitti in some cases looks like pretty cool art, it is vandalism which can be indicative of gang territory. If this tagging goes unpunished we will see graffitti all over the city.
Now, that said, I don't think jail is the answer. I say put these kids in very bright clothing and make them remove their tags. Nothing can make an alleged artist more angry than to have to tear down their own masterpiece. These two goofballs should be out there cleaning the graffitti off the buildings they vandalized as well as help remove all the other graffitti from around the city. Put these guys to work.
- Mike, Manchester

This is what's most likely going to happen: $1000 fine per/each 3 yrs probation, community service but they will never be made to clean up anything they destroyed. In fact, YOU & I will be footing the bill, via taxpayer money. Such a deal. I would have found it to be far more fitting to have to undo all that they have wrecked. Even the most hardened punk would have found 1000 hours of fixing all he painted a lasting impression.
- Joe, Manchester

"Legends?" More like pathetic losers.

Jail time will not deter them at all. They will only learn how to be better criminals there. They should be sentenced to daily graffiti removal around manchester for a year. It would probably be the first real work they have ever done!
- Sara, Manchester

Chief Mara has done a lot since becoming chief, please do not let these punks go unpunished. They deserve to have a little time to themselves in a cell. Graffitti is a huge problem, lets up the price and make their families pay to have it cleaned, then impose a fine that is huge to help pay the people who try their best to clean it up and stick it to them. We cannot push this aside. We have this issue here in all small towns as well.
We beg you chief and team, send the message and only hope you can get more those punks.
- rick, Milford

Where is the ACLU on this? These little darlings were just exercising their right of free speech!
- Jim D, Hillsboro

"J" in Manchester

"and is harmless compared to other crimes."

Are you serious? Graffiti may not be a violent crime, but have you been in areas that get all covered with graffiti? Usually they are NOT the upper end parts of cities. Crime begets crime.

Perhaps you would think differently if it was YOUR home or car that got tagged by these punks.

And yes, I do not live in Manchester, but I own property there as well. And I certainly do not want it covered with their "art" which will cost ME $$$ to clean up.
- CT, Concord

To Kim:

Manchester DOES in fact have an Officer assigned to graffiti. He works in the Community Police Division - and he is extremely friendly and helpfull.

I suggest all of you who wish to have additional patrols of your neighborhoods to contact Officer Gallant, as I'm sure he will be as willing to help you as he was me.
- Mrs Lussier, Manchester

I agree with not putting them in jail where they'll only learn to become career criminals..
(All jails should isolate prisoners from one another. No yard time, just hard time. Alone.)
They should be publicly and loudly humiliated.. They should have to wear pink, polka-dot jump-suits and scrub up every bit of graffiti the city can find by day and spend their nights in solitary.
All you liberals that want to coddle our criminals would like that better than my next idea.. bring back the town stocks so we can start stoning criminals again. Now THERE'S a deterrent!
- Robb, North Walpole

Legends. Perhaps, in their own pathetic world. But if so, then make them lasting legends.... have them out cleaning their own crime, and the crimes of others, upon property. It's a disgrace, their acts, with no repsect for any. Even themselves. Have these clowns in suits and spending more than a few hours working on their own supposed art, and that of others. This will make a true legend out of 'em.
- Jack, Manchester

Why not use home confinement with ankle bracelets? Let them pay for their own meals, rent, heat etc...

AND in addition, have them perform many hours of community service scrubbing up graffiti and picking up trash around the city in the bright orange jumpsuits.
- CT, Concord

Seriously all you people are ridiculous. First off most of you arn't from manchester and don't know how many people tag all over the city just not these two people. Jail time will do absolutly nothing. Maybe MPD should focus on more serious crimes like rape, drunk driving, murders, etc other then tagging which happens all over the world and is harmless compared to other crimes.
- J, Manchester

You can't "MAKE THEM" have a job, do community service, or get an education. Sure, you can make it part of a release condition - but IF they get a job, but don't keep it because of poor performance, and then lose it - or don't do mandated community service, or don't clean up their graffiti then what do you do? Oh, yeah I forgot about earlier articles and comments, now they are non-violent offenders who have "technically" violated their probation/parole - and that's right, we don't want to send them to jail for that either. It's far simpler, and more economical in the long run, to sentence them and keep them in jail from the get go. They will either learn or will not - and then next time that can be considered if there is a next time.
- Dale, Chichester

One year in jail for the legends comment.
- E, Manch

Gail Boyce, Manchester - Give the guys a break? You have got to be kidding. Why don't you post your address and we can have the city thugs come and spray paint your house for you? Also, maybe you can go to City Hall and give your bank account so that we can charge you for their Art college that you so brilliantly recommended.

Thanks for the laugh, Gail!
- Sarah, Manchester

I really wish we reserved jail for violent offenders. No matter how much we want to believe that prison is a "strong deterrent" in cases like this, it just isn't. What it is, is a way to introduce small-time punks to big-time criminals. And all at taxpayer expense.

Not to say that vandalism isn't a serious issue to property owners. But let's require the vandals to either work or pay for the cleanup of what they did. Fix the damage to the property owners without costing taxpayers any extra money.
- JD, Manchester

"I personally am looking out for graffiti vandals in my area and advise others to do the same . "

Exactly how are you doing this? Are you driving around the city streets at 2:00 am looking 20 feet above the highway at the signs? Checking the tressles under the bridges to try to spot people while you are driving 35 (65?) MPH down the street? I am curious as to how exactly you are suggesting we "look out for graffiti vandals".
- Jeff, Concord

I have to agree with the work thing. They should be put to work cleaning up the mess they, and others like them, made. How appealing is that on a 90 degree day in July.

I grew up in Mass. There were a couple kids were regularly skipping school, and the truant officer was being called. They were finally given something constructive to do -- paint fire hydrants. They had to spend their entire summer painting all of the fire hydrants in town. Work and public humiliation can have a pretty good impact.
- DJ, Amherst

Good idea send them to jail, that way they will come out as drug dealers, violent offenders, or gang members. That should leave them very little time to create graffiti. Plus as an added bonus we the taxpayers get to pay for all their new criminal training.

Putting them in jail only perpetuates a downward spiral.

Jail does not equal rehabilitation. The statistics don't lie.
- Mitch, Weare

I believe these guys should have some serious penalties..community service, fines ect.

But one thing that annoys me is that some people do worse crimes and get away with a slap on the wrist...and these kids are putting graffiti (yes that is wrong) on other's property and may end up in jail quicker than the one driving drunk.
- Rachel, Derry

Wayne S, I can see what your thinking, but wouldn't it be great to INCLUDE these workers in these punks community service. Along with someone to keep an eye on them, these workers could just direct these kids in what and how to do it and make sure the job is done right. Who wouldn't want to get paid to stand around? I wouldn't mind a city employee participating in this AND getting paid to stand around f it will save us tax payers thousands later.
I agree that cleaning this up is a great idea. I don't agree with pasting their photos on billboards because that would turn into a celebrity thing for them. If you blurred their faces though- that would work.
If the justice system would only listen to us- they could save thousands.
- Donna, Rye

Hahaha! Legends? This kid has to be joking, what a fool.
- Jesse, Candia

I say we tattoo something across their foreheads. It's just art, right? Surely they'd appreciate it. They appreciate painting other people's property. Tattoo something they wouldn't like on their foreheads and make it a requirement of their release that they don't have it removed for a number of years. Either that or they can do a year in jail. Their choice.

A slap on the wrist will just encourage all the other miscreants that are out there.
- Alex, Nashua

Craig, he was referring to vandals as real criminals. When he said victimless crime, he was referring to the person who refused to give his name.
- Jeff, Manchester

Call me an extremist, but they desrve what the law specifies, at least 3.5 years each. They should be allowed out of prison as often as they like, as part of a chain gang commissioned to clean up graffitti. The idea to have them in jumpsuits would be great. Put their name on their bright pink jumpsuits and let them understand how hard it is to clean up spray paint valdalism.

The house and senate should work with the chiefs of local and state police to enact laws authorizing significantly more proactive force on combating grafitti. Either allow property owners to shoot the vandals or provide police the tools necessary to aprehend these poor excuses for citizens. Then we need an AG who will enforece the law as it is written, not go lightly on Criminals!
- Michael Layon, Derry

Jeff, there is no victimless crime. Who pay's for the clean up, in some cases, repainting the walls or what ever they painted on. Why should the business / home owner pay to repaint. Why should the state keep paying employee's to clean up and repaint. Start holding people accountable for their own actions and maybe crime will start to turn around. As for your friend in jail, if he wasn't trying to hide something and prove a point, he would probably never been sent to jail. Like these painting punks he made a choice, let him live with it.
- Craig McIntosh, Allenstown

While they are serving their time, these two should be spending every day cleaning up graffiti. Let the punishment fit the crime.
- LJC, Manchester

I think these two and others who will come after them should have to clean up the city.
- Maria, Manchester, NH

I am a fan and lover of Graffiti Art, but there is a time and a place for it...either on a canvas or on a commissioned wall. These two have created vandalism and have no respect for their community. I think these two need to grow up and have a punishment directly related to their offense, scrubbing that graffiti off the walls.
- M, Manchester,NH

What goes around comes around.

I personally am looking out for graffiti vandals in my area and advise others to do the same . Its about time we begin looking out for this type of activity in our own neighborhoods.
- Matt, Manchester

Here’s the dilemma…
You put them in jail and they serve their time but the message never really gets driven home to the other idiots who are out there defacing property.
I think you need to find a way to publicly humiliate them to get the word out to the other kids who don’t watch the news or read the papers…
Have those two out cleaning the property they defaced and take a nice picture of them in their orange jump suits , then put the picture on billboards around the city: Idiot of the Month Club… or post their picture on the city buses and drive around with some message like “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time”.

Getting revenge from the perpetrators is just a band-aid. We need a deterrent that get attention of the next kid waiting in the wings...
- Angelo, Manchester

Jail time is a poor idea.

First of all, the strategy of "setting an example" is pointless, it will not deter others and should not a factor of any punishment. (for any crime)

Second, jail time is expensive, completely uncessary for non violent offenders, and will only perpetuate their criminal activities.

Why not calculate the cost of the damages, and garnish their wages heavily until it is paid back? Every paycheck they will be reminded of the destruction they caused, and will suffer for because all their extra money will be going to pay it back. They will think twice about doing it again, and will be out on the street telling their buddies first hand how bad it is not having any money and how much their stupid behavior cost.

The US already has 5 times the number of people in prison then the rest of the world, we do not need to add to it.
- Chris, Keene

I think Singapore had it right in the mid 90's...how about a good ole fashioned public caning.....just the cost of bandages and neosporin.
That would be a deterrent!
- Lane M., Bedford

The sad part is these aren't even kids we're talking about...what adult gets off vandalizing someone else's property? Put them away, they're already a drain on society, at least in jail we know where they are.
- ken, nashua

Not to sound too cynical here, but I'm reasonably sure that the public employees unions will not allow these two to do the work of two of their members.
- Wayne S, Manchester

Jail time is not a good idea.
Do you see how much this will costs us?
First we are paying for their trials, then we will have to pay for their time in the big house and THEN we have to pay someone to clean the mess up they made!
I agree with JAC- make THEM clean up the mess (as well as other messes too), make them keep jobs and pay the city back for ALL the trouble they have caused.
Jail time makes them harder criminals.
There are other scum out there getting away with far more than spray painting.
- Pauline, Franklin

I don't care if sending them to jail costs us more money.
I don't care if sending them to jail does not deter other vandals.
I don't care if they don't learn anything in jail.

Sometimes, we just need to punish criminals. A year in jail sounds about right for this.
- Tony, Manchester

To JAC Manchester,
These two are already little hoodlums! I agree with your recommendation of 4000 hours of community service but give them a year in jail too! Trust me they and others like them will think twice before repeating their graffitti pollution again.
- Rob, Manchester

I love the orange jumpsuits idea! These guys need to pay for their misdeeds. I am absolutely in favor of several hundred hours of community service, including cleaning up the graffiti around the city. These guys like to do their work in the dark and unobserved, let's see how they feel about broad daylight and in plain sight of everyone!
- Molly W, Manchester

Jail time will turn these two clowns into more serious criminals.

There are 8760 hours in a year.

4000 hours of community service cleaning grafiti, litter, etc. over the next two years seems appropriate. That leaves time for them to sleep, do community service, and hold a job to support themselves.

Oh yeah, making them attend GED classes would also be a beautiful thing!
- JAC, Manchester

I don't think jail is the answer here, I think putting these punks to work is the answer. Make them clean trash up and down every street in Manchester. Make them go and clean graffitti off walls. Do everything humanly (and legally) possible to humiliate these idiots for essentially huminilating city building with their obnoxious art. The sad thing with grafitti artists is think of how useful they could be if they put that much time into art on paper, instead of art on city walls.
- Bill, Manchester

Sending them to jail will teach them nothing and will cost us more. In fact, they will make more connections that will contribute to them being even less productive when they get out.
I agree with some of the posts. Put them in cleaning uniforms and put them to work - and maybe force them to stay in a half way house while they are doing it. Hopefully the judge will force them to be productive.
- joco, manchester,nh

Maybe a little hard time will make these little boys grow up. They need to learn how to be adults.
- Ann Theresa, Portland Ct

I haven't seen the actual "work" the "legends" committed; however, I have seen some graffitti that is really a work of art. Perhaps instead of jailtime, these "legends" could perhaps clean up their artwork and finish high school and then perhaps take some art classes at the Art Institute. Who knows, maybe Jackson Pollack sprayed a few buildings in his day? Give the guys a break!
- Gail Boyce, Manchester

The next target of the police should be DBK, whomever he or she is. That's the latest tag on the bridge abutments on 101 from the Seacoast to Manchester.
- Texter, Newfields

Simple. Dress them up in bright colored clown suits and have them clean up the graffiti all around the city.
- Steve, Derry

Wow, who would have thought that someone's punishment would be getting a high school diploma or equivalent. What do these guys have? Like a 6th grade education?? They sure can draw though huh? Maybe they can draw GED all over their cells.
- Mike H., Manchester

Maybe it would be a good idea to put them on clean up patrol in Manchester. This will make them clean up and save the taxpayers some money in the end....
- Paula, Manchester

Manchester P.D. does have a page on the website regarding graffiti and tagging. Basically it explains the difference between gang tags, graffiti, and "taggers" like these two nitwits. The harder the place to tag the more points you get. The tags are on highway signs, overpasses and bridges. Hard to get to and high visibility more points more status I guess.

I personally would like to see what happens when one of these wonderful gents falls to their death from a sign 20 feet above the highway and a Mack truck is there to greet them. I'm sure it will be the states fault for not making the signs impossible to climb.

Let these two serve time and clean up the city while they do it. It's absolutely disgusting out there. Especially along the highway. I still can't believe these two are 20 and 21. Grow up!
- Joe, Manchester

Potentially scary sentences are as effective as actually carried out less scary sentences. I'd rather see these two end up with 3 months of actual jail time than a 1 year suspended sentence.

We apparently have the resources across the state to jail people for victimless crimes. We've got one young man in Keene in jail for more than a month for refusing to give his name to the police. They know who is is, he is simply (still) in jail because he won't provide his own name.

So, these guys, I recommend 2-3 months in jail and several hundred hours of community service upon release.

Make room for them by releasing several other citizens jailed for victimless crimes.
- Jeff, Nashua

I think it's funny that people say jail time for graffiti isn't practical but think about the thousands of dollars in damage these two have done around the city, if these two had gone into a bank and stolen the same amount in money as in the damages they have done people wouldn't blink an eye at them going to jail.
- Andrew, Manchester

Have them work off their sentence in lieu of jail. They can spend the next year cleaning all of the graffiti off of the roadways and private property in addition to cleaning up trash in the parks and on the streets. 8 hours a day for a year might make them think twice before doing it again.
- Ben, Manchester

Speaking from experience I know first hand about the costs involved of graffitti. I am the grounds manager for a local little league and I can tell you that it costs our league hundreds of dollars and man hours to clean up after these punks. We are trying to provide a place for young kids to play baseball and these idiots are constantly destroying the grounds which are also considered city property. We as volunteers are taking it upon ourselves to make it a decent place to play, otherwise it would look like a ghetto. Perhaps if the city were held responsible to clean up "their" fields, it would be handled a bit differently. We need to make examples of these idiots so that this doesn't keep happening to our city by people who are nothing but a burden to society.
- Lyle, Manchester

How we handle the little annoying things becomes how we are seen as a city. If we ignore the broken windows and graffiti, we invite the furthur decay they symbolize. If we get ahead of the problem, pick up the litter, fix the windows, clean up the graffiti ( and who better to do that than someone busted for creating it in the first place?) we set the example and become a desirable place to live and work. A year in jail for tagging may be a buit much, but making these two clowns clean up thier mess and the crap thier "tagging" idiot friends leave behind would be a worthy punishment.
- Jeff, Goffstown

I have a good idea....give them housing and clothing and food. All at the Hillsborough House of Correction!
Then take them outside for some fresh air and Vitamin D and have them clean up the mess they did.
After that's done, have them go from school to school in Manchester talking about how they were bad boys and what bad things they had done and how they had to clean up their own messes.
This should keep them busy for a few years and perhaps they'll outgrow their childlike behavior.
- F. Packer, Manchester NH

Does Manchester have an Officer investigating any of the grafitti in the City? Probably not.
- Kim, Manchester

It is like stealing. When a vandal hits your property, and you need to spend hundreds to clean it up, IT IS STEALING! A few $100 here and a few $100 there adds up fast to a felony. Stop talking about how hard it is to catch someone, and make an example of the ones you catch. They have no respect for other people or their property and even their own community. They are legends, and the message will be on the street very fast if the punishment is more than a slap on the wrist. If not jail, how about an orange jump suit and a few public clean ups.
- kim, manchester