The textbook “Mosaics: Essays in Reading and Writing” includes two essays with divergent views on the effectiveness of anti-loitering laws. Richard Willard shares his view that anti-loitering laws are effective tools that deter gang activity in his essay "Anti-loitering Laws Can Reduce Gang Violence." He says alternative methods of punishing gang members only cause them to develop animosity toward police, leading to even more problems. Alternatively, “Anti-loitering Laws Are Ineffective and Biased,” an essay written by David Cole, presents the view that these laws are a form of discrimination. Both authors support their opinions with statistics and past examples of enforcement of anti-loitering laws. Willard begins his essay by making broad generalizations about support for anti-loitering laws. He claims that "[communities] from Los Angeles to Washington DC have responded [to gang violence] by passing a variety of innovative laws, ranging from curfew measures to anti-loitering laws..." however, he does not doesn't support this claim with actual statistics. He expects the reader to accept these statements as fact. This is a weakness because the reader is expected to trust the author's information without any real evidence of these progressive laws. The author finally gives some statistics to support his generalizations in the fourth paragraph of his essay. By supporting his previous arguments with the fact that "from 1993 to 1996, the murder rate fell by 40%, thefts by 30% and burglaries by more than 25%...", he shows the reader that his comments are not not founded. baseless. Willard discusses how at the time of these statistics New York City did not increase funding for...... middle of paper ...... more effective than Cole's rant in “Anti-loitering Laws Are Ineffective and Biased.” The reader is much less likely to be offended and stop reading an essay if its content is presented in a respectful manner. These essays taught me the importance of tone in an essay. A disrespectful tone is likely to upset the reader and make them disinterested in an author's work. It is extremely important that an author not only keeps their essay focused and well-supported, but also pays close attention to its tone. Works Cited Cole, David. “Anti-loitering laws are ineffective and biased. » Mosaics: reading and writing essays. 5th ed. Ed. Kim Flachmann. Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. 426-428. Print. Willard, Richard. “Anti-loitering laws can reduce gang violence.” Mosaics: reading and writing essays. 5th ed. Ed. Kim Flachmann. Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. 423-425. Print.