Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Tackling graffiti

How does rapid repair help to tackle graffiti? 

How do you catch and deter people involved in illegal graffiti?

What can prevent illegal graffiti happening?

Do graffiti boards work?

What is the difference between a vandal and graffiti artist?

How can etching or 'dutch graffiti' be tackled?

What sentences have been given for graffiti?

How does rapid repair help to tackle graffiti?

• Rapid repair is often seen as an effective way of tackling graffiti as a quick clean up removes the impact and therefore the ‘buzz' for the perpetrator. It also makes an area feel 'cared for' and will encourage the use of public space making it less likely that crime and anti social behaviour will occur. This relies on the public being able to report graffiti easily and a quick response. For example, Lewisham Borough Council has a page on their website where the public can report graffiti through an online form, by telephone or by sending a photo. This initiative might be adopted by other local authorities, though they will recognise that a sustained commitment is required for sites that give updates of progress.
• Where the target for graffiti is private property or business, then local authorities often provide advice on removal or in some cases provide a cleaning service free of charge. For example, Brent Council provides a first time free graffiti removal, with further removals and a subsidised rate. Other councils provide free graffiti cleaning kits. Swansea offer a free removal service, with a nominal charge for materials. Many local authorities have a policy of removing racist or abusive graffiti on any property within 24 hours.
• The graffiti hotline website has a range of useful information about tackling graffiti. The site is run by Proud Industrial, an organisation that provides graffiti and fly poster removal and control services. Back to top

How do you catch and deter people involved in illegal graffiti?

• Schemes such as ‘name that tag' have also been used to encourage the identification of the perpetrator and seem to have lead to a drop in the level of graffiti in targeted areas. The London Borough of Southwark is running a ‘Stop Them and Shop Them' campaign in tagging hotspot areas, offering a reward for any information that leads to the prosecution of persistent ‘taggers'. Since the campaign started in 2004 Southwark Council has seen a 35% decrease in reported graffiti in the borough. Crimestoppers have usefully been involved in similar schemes.
• The British Transport Police (BTP) has a national data base of tags. It is well established and there is an existing protocol for providing access to local authorities. Contact your local BTP officer for more information.
• Covert surveillance can aid apprehension of offenders. In Birmingham, the City Council achieved this by commissioning covert surveillance teams backed up by police arrest teams. Back to top

What can be done to prevent illegal graffiti happening?

• Strong education messages, delivered through schools and youth groups that graffiti and other forms of criminal damage is an offence, is one preventative approach.
• Agencies, working together to tackle graffiti can prove the most effective. For example, in Surrey the police are working with the local authority, county council, British Transport Police, schools and local youth groups. The project has been running for three years and focuses on cleaning up graffiti, prevention by connecting with young people through the district youth council. Youth diversionary activities are important and the CDRP has funded these through youth clubs and a recently opened youth cafe. Young people are often not aware that damaging property by graffiti is a criminal offence and education is a crucial element of the project. Specialist youth affairs police officers and PCSO's spread this message through schools and also point out the consequences of being caught damaging property.
• Our guides ‘Tackling Vandalism and Other Criminal Damage' and ‘Tackling Youth Vandalism' give more information. Back to top

Do graffiti boards work?

• There is no firm evidence that graffiti boards work, although Northumbria University are currently assessing legal sites and have produced an extensive paper which includes information on the potential benefits and risks of using graffiti boards. An executive summary is available on their website.
  The arguments against use of graffiti boards include:
• Unsupervised graffiti boards in public spaces may seem to endorse graffiti and blur the distinction between what is a crime and what is not. It follows that any graffiti or ‘street art' scheme should stress that permission is required to avoid committing, or encouraging, crime.
• Where equipment is not provided it will need to be taken to the graffiti board. This will provide offenders intent on doing graffiti with a ready made excuse which will hinder effective police enforcement action.
• Anecdotal evidence has also indicated that sometimes the levels of graffiti near locations where it is legal to spray graffiti has actually increased, due to individuals spraying graffiti as they walk to and from the site.
• We recognise that some practitioners are supportive, and supervised graffiti boards where equipment has been provided for the purposes of an art project may act as a useful diversion for young people. One example of such a scheme is at the Chillingham Road Metro in Newcastle. But we suggest that any such scheme is only considered as part of a wider approach to tackling graffiti which includes diversion work with young people, rapid repair of illegal graffiti, education campaigns and enforcement work. To read more about the work in Newcastle and a discussion of the benefits and risks fo graffiti walls, read the transcript of our online action session on working with schools and young people to tackle criminal damage. Back to top

What is the difference between a vandal and a graffiti artist?

• It is criminal damage when graffiti causes damage to another person's property without permission and where it costs money to restore. The artistic merit of the work is immaterial (as well as subjective). Of course, many areas will have protocols in place whereby particularly offensive graffiti, for example on places of worship or which might amount to hate crime, are removed more quickly.
• It is important to note that the views of the artist may not match those of the property owner and it is for the owner, not the artist to decide whether the graffiti has damaged their property. Back to top

How can etching or ‘dutch graffiti' be tackled?

• Repair of ‘etching' is difficult if not impossible and replacement is often the only way of dealing with it. It can be more difficult to ‘detect' as it is not always easy to see the visible damage being caused, unlike spray paints.
• In West Yorkshire, and now many other areas, CCTV cameras are sited in bus shelters. Since the cameras have been fitted, there has been a significant reduction in shelter damage. The most potent deterrent to such damage is thought to be the arrest and conviction of those causing such damage. Metro (West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) has a partnership with Crimestoppers whereby photographs of ‘TAGS' and ‘offenders' are circulated with the offer of a cash reward for identifying those responsible. This is supported by the media and also has a significant deterrent effect.
• Southeastern railway has adopted a policy to replace and repair quickly incidents of ‘dutch graffiti'. It is accepted that to initially get to this stage there is a heavy upfront cost to reset the current damage. This process of renewal is also backed up by CCTV on trains and stations and the quick recording and gathering of evidence should an incident occur. Though there is continued damage the levels of damage are easier to maintain once the reset has taken place. When the glass and or panel is renewed it is protected by durable clear film. This film is sacrificial and protects the glass. Back to top

What sentences have been given for graffiti?

• Recently there have been sentences ranging from Anti Social Behaviour Orders to 3 ½ years imprisonment for graffiti damage to trains and railway infrastructure. In the past there have been few examples for courts to refer to, but as offenders are successfully prosecuted cases can be used as reference.
• Key factors of a successful prosecution include an accurate cost evaluation of the damage and details of the impact graffiti has on industry, the environment and the community. It is important to ensure there is some communication with the originator of the complaint after sentencing to conclude the incident and to give closure to the victim. Back to top
  

Last update: Monday, April 14, 2008