A New System for Combating 'Quality-of-Life Crimes'

Soumya Karlamangla reports on a pilot program in Los Angeles called Administrative Citation Enforcement, which "gives the LAPD and the Department of Animal Services a new enforcement tool that would bypass the court system. It would allow city officials to impose financial penalties for such offenses as urinating in public, having dogs off leashes at the beach or dumping garbage in public streets."

Rick Orlov provides additional details about the penalties that could be imposed for such offenses: "citations of $250, $500 and $1,000 for the first, second and third offenses could be issued. An administrative review process would be available should citizens choose to appeal."