As Cmdr. Brackney indicated, the police do not have the authority or means to deal with nuisance kids. I recognize that people can be fearful of confrontations with neighbors they don't know, but I really do think that polite, constructive dialog is one of the best ways to handle this sort of thing. I wanted to report a recent experience I had. About a month ago, my 11-year-old son was out riding his bike when he was assaulted by two younger boys. One threw rocks at him while the other hit him and took his bike. Fortunately, a man on a nearby porch spoke to the thieves and helped my son retrieve his bike, and though he was upset, my son was basically unhurt. He and I walked through the nieghborhood, where we have lived for 12 years, and located the home of the two boys. We rang their doorbell, and I politely explained the problem to the kids' grandmother. She was apologetic and understanding, said she would ensure that it didn't happen again, and at least so far there have been no more incidents with these children. I recognize that not every such incident will have such a rosy ending, but I do think it only makes sense for people to at least attempt to resolve such issues with kids and their parents personally. As Cmdr Brackney said, when children realize that you notice them and are not intimidated, they're less likely to choose you as a victim. Karen Kasper Karen Kasper --------------------------------- Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.