Contact: Sunny Mindel/ Matthew Higgins (212) 788-2958
Mike Haberman - Consumer Affairs (212) 487-4407
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jules Polonetsky announced today that only 14 percent of the businesses inspected during a recent enforcement sweep were cited for illegally selling box cutters to people under the age of 21. The number of businesses cited for violating the law continues to decline, from 59 percent in 1997 to 23 percent in February of 1999.
Consumer Affairs inspectors visited 44 stores during the enforcement sweep and 6 businesses were cited for making illegal box cutter sales. As part of the enforcement effort, minors worked undercover with DCA inspectors and were able to purchase box cutters at 14 percent of the 44 stores they visited citywide. Violations carry fines of up to $350 for the first violation and $500 for repeat offenders.
"Although not a single box cutter should be sold to a minor, with each successive DCA enforcement sweep, more and more businesses are complying with the law," the Mayor said. "Local Law 22, which makes it illegal to sell box cutters to anyone under 21, has been instrumental in removing dangerous weapons from our streets. Businesses that sell box cutters should be on notice that Consumer Affairs will continue aggressively enforcing this law to bring about 100 percent compliance."
In 1995, Local Law 80 made it a criminal misdemeanor to sell box cutters to kids under 18. In 1998, the Mayor signed Local Law 22, which raised the legal age to purchase box cutters from 18 to 21 and expanded the ban on box cutter possession from on school premises to banning possession in any public place.
Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jules Polonetsky said, "Since DCA began enforcing the box cutter law, citywide violation rates have fallen from 59% in February 1997 to 14% this year. I am encouraged by the steadily declining number of business owners who flout this important law by selling box cutters to people under 21. However, DCA's ultimate objective is to obtain full compliance with the law. We will continue to conduct undercover initiatives and educate store owners about their responsibilities under the law."
DCA's enforcement sweep included stores cited in previous enforcement efforts and those in close proximity to schools. In addition to illegal box cutter sales, DCA inspectors also inspected how stores displayed their box cutters. To prevent theft, box cutters, by law, must be visible from the cash register, contained in a locked case, or in a package larger than 41 square inches. None of the stores inspected had box cutters displayed in violation of the law.
DCA's undercover enforcement initiative produced the following results:
Borough
|
Stores Surveyed
|
Illegal Sale
|
% Sales
|
Illegal Display
|
Brooklyn
|
8
|
1
|
13%
|
0
|
Queens
|
12
|
1
|
8%
|
0
|
Bronx 6
|
6
|
2
|
33%
|
0
|
Staten Island
|
4
|
0
|
0%
|
0
|
Manhattan
|
14
|
2
|
14%
|
0
|
Citywide Totals
|
44
|
6
|
14%
|
0
|