The effectiveness of the punishment for such crimes seems non-existent. Most everyone who knows me thinks I am a very liberal person, and I try to be, but when it comes to this kind of petty crime my liberalness disappears. There needs to be an adequate response to this type of crime to bring an end to it. Don't ask me what that is, because we have laws prohibiting the kind of action I think it will take.

Years ago I remember reading a story of a U.S. Ambassador's son in who vandalized several cars in the nation his dad was assigned. The punishment by the local government which did not recognize the diplomatic immunity the father had, was not afforded the son. The punishment was 20 lashes with a thin bamboo rod. While that sounds harsh, my bet is it saved this lad from committing other crimes, and the memory of this punishment has probably stayed with him to this day. It seems like, as a nation, we are sparing the rod and spoiling the kids.