It became an issue during the Giuliani administration, when the city began using the law as a weapon in its broader crackdown on quality-of-life crimes.

The same for the city's crackdown on quality-of-life crimes.

The other unique contribution was the campaign against so-called quality-of-life crimes.

"And I am the candidate who could best deal with addressing the rise in quality-of-life crimes."

"The quality-of-life crimes are committed by young people," he said.

Signals are important in the city's crackdown on quality-of-life crimes.

Today, the police, at the urging of the mayor, have taken an active interest in quality-of-life crimes.

If somebody can be shot down for a quality-of-life crime, what does that mean for all the rest of us?

"Part of the reason crime continues to be reduced is the enforcement of quality-of-life crimes," he said.

The three are members of a new squad in the 20th Precinct whose mission is to fight "quality-of-life" crimes.