Understanding Vandalism and Graffiti

This part summarises what is known about vandalism and graffiti vandalism from research and practice in the rail, underground and bus environments. Understanding the factors known to contribute to this problem will help you frame your own local analysis questions, determine good effectiveness measures, recognise key points of intervention and select an appropriate set of responses for your particular problem.

Public transport seems to suffer from exceptional amounts of vandalism, particularly graffiti. Vehicles and facilities are unsupervised by staff for large portions of the day or night, and graffiti writers are attracted to vehicles, bus shelters, stations and linesides because their work is so highly visible at these locations.

The Department for Transport report that the most common types of vandalism reported by bus operators are window and seat damage, and interior graffiti. See section 5 Crime on public transport in A Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics: 2002 Edition. Damage to bus stops and timetable cases is also commonly reported. One study of vandalism on the London Underground reported that vehicles and stations on a small number of lines suffered exceptional amounts of graffiti vandalism (Department of Transport, 1986) .

The methods used by offenders to commit vandalism and produce graffiti are quite varied and include painting, writing and scratching; cutting, tearing and kicking; striking vehicles with projectiles; and setting fire to property. With respect to graffiti, the two principal types involve ‘tags’, a stylised signature, and ‘pieces’, which are more elaborate. The methods used by graffiti writers seem to adapt over time to counter prevention and removal techniques. The most obvious example of this adaptation is seen in the increased incidence of etching on bus and train carriage windows since methods of removing paint have been improved.

Although vandals are characteristically young males, females may be more commonly involved in producing graffiti. One study found that railway vandals were typically males aged 13-17 (Wilson and Healy, 1987). Similarly, self-report studies suggest that young persons aged 14-16 consistently report the greatest involvement in vandalism.

Although many young persons are likely to be involved in minor acts of vandalism, a smaller proportion is involved in the more destructive behaviours. Research also suggests that those more heavily involved in vandalism were also more likely to be involved in other delinquent behaviour, and that vandals typically spent time within ‘tough’ peer groups, lack parental control and are unsuccessful at, or dislike, school (Clarke, Gladstone, Sturman and Wilson, 1978).

Little information is available on the timing of incidents, but it has been suggested that the majority of recorded vandalism incidents occurs between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., and that vandalism is more common in the school holidays and the summer months.

Factors Contributing to Vandalism and Graffiti