Use the Infraction System!

[SWCAdmin]

The infraction system very efficiently delivers a one-two punch of a cautionary / advisory PM to the user, and a notice thread to mods. USE IT! It rocks.

To start, find the relevant post, then click on the little yellow/red card under the userid/avatar.

NOTES:
1) A Warning is a 0 point infraction. It shows as a yellow card on the thread. 1 point or more is an infraction w/ red card.

Don't reserve this just for heinous evil acts. FEEL FREE TO USE THIS for even some fairly innocent off-sides situations. A warning is just a warning, and you can even temper it further in the PM.

2) If the post is not deleted (and not every infraction warrants a delete), the red/yellow card stays visible to all. Not real prominent, but a visibile deterrent nonetheless and many users will see and understand the mild correction.

3) If you do want to delete the post, that is a separate step using the moderator tools.

4) All the mods can see the full text of the PM in the Reported Posts forum, along with a link to the subject post. This is a great record and efficient communication -- reason alone to use the infractions. If you want to add additional commentary (i.e. for the other mods, not in the PM-to-offending user), another post in that mods-only thread is a good spot for it.

Note that the system sees you as having read the thread that you automatically spawn by this system, so it won't show for you under "New Posts," since. But it does show for all the other mods in their New Posts, for you in Recent Posts, and for all of us in Reported Posts forum listing.

5) Mods can also see a record of a user's warnings / infractions in the User Profile of any member. e.g. look at Sean Osborne's profile. Regular users can't see that.

6) What are reported posts? Only mods+ see the icon to award an infraction/warning. The average user sees the little triangle traffic sign which allows them to report posts, spawning a thread in the same infractions / reported posts forum. But a "reported post" is just an alert to us. There's no infraction or warning until we weigh in. Also, since the forum is closed to all but us mods, a post in the reported post thread thanking the user for the citizen's arrest DOESN'T WORK. You have to PM them if you want to be gracious and commend them for their citizenship.