Criminal Damage
Case Study: Graffiti low level high impact
Lead agency: South Yorkshire Police, Sharrow Safer Neighbourhood Team
Partners: Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Trading Standards, local schools, Crimestoppers, local businesses, DVLA, Sheffield Fire and Rescue.
Location: Sharrow, Sheffield
Dates: February 2006 onwards
Summary: A survey of residents identified that criminal damage, particularly graffiti, had an adverse affect on residents' quality of life. The Sharrow Safer Neighbourhood Team coordinated activities of partner agencies to address this problem. Following the initiative a visual audit showed a reduction in the level of graffiti and greatly improved response times for clean up.
The problem
- A survey of residents identified that criminal damage, particularly graffiti had an adverse affect on residents' quality of life.
- A visual audit identified problems with graffiti, litter, underage drinking, abandoned vehicles, waste and antisocial behaviour. The graffiti was on local businesses, street furniture and private dwellings. Back to top
Action taken
- Survey results were looked at in conjunction with police incident statistics, Sheffield City Council reports of graffiti and abandoned cars, Fire Service figures and the visual audit. The Sharrow Safer Neighbourhood Team coordinated the following activities undertaken by partner agencies:
- The School Liaison Officer spoke to children in schools and community projects about the impact and consequences of graffiti.
- The Council established a Graffiti Charter, whereby graffiti is removed from a business free of charge in return for a commitment from that business to keep the property clean.
- Police Community Support Officers promoted the Charter to local business.
- Police Officers set up covert cameras to film further activity on walls that had been subject to graffiti.
- A data base was set up to record pictures of all ‘tags' in the area.
- Trading Standards Officers undertook test purchasing for the sale of aerosol paints and alcohol to minors.
- ‘Name that tag' posters were displayed in local shops offering a reward for information about the owner of the tag.
- Regular environment weeks were organised to deal with all environmental issues from graffiti to large scale litter removal. On the first week, the police and young people joined together to paint over a wall which had been damaged by graffiti. Back to top
What happened as a result?
- A visual audit showed a reduction in the level of graffiti. The response time for cleaning up graffiti reduced from 145 to 4 days. Trading Standards test purchasing found that 70% of those tested on the initial operation sold alcohol to a 15 year old. A month later the same premises were tested and no purchases were made. Back to top
What made it work?
- Sharrow Safer Neighbourhood team raised awareness of the problem of graffiti among partners and this lead to a high level of ownership across all the agencies. Maintaining contact between the police and partners ensured an ongoing response to the problem. Back to top
Last update: Thursday, June 28, 2007
