---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-15A-3. Legislative findings.
collection: code
id: 17-15A-3
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-15A-3 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-15A-3
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-15A-3.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-15A-3/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t17-(v15)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8c04ccfe_0#page=1435
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-15A.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-15A-2.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-15A-4.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / COMPENSATION FOR CRIMINALLY INFLICTED PROPERTY DAMAGE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-15A-3. Legislative findings.

The General Assembly finds and declares that:

(1) Criminal street gang activity is a serious and continuing public safety concern;

(2) Criminal trespass and criminal damage to property in the second degree caused by graffiti being placed unlawfully upon private property are crimes frequently associated with criminal street gang activity; and

(3) It is in the public interest, not only in the pursuit of justice but also as a means of combating such criminal street gang activity and of contributing to the general public welfare by improving the esthetics of public views, to compensate as provided in this chapter those private property owners who are the innocent victims of such criminal trespass or criminal damage to property in the second degree by using inmate labor to remove or obliterate graffiti unlawfully placed on private properties when such graffiti is visible from public roads or other public property.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-15A-3, enacted by Ga. L. 2003, p. 252, § 1.