Graffiti Hurts® eNews
February 2010
In this Issue
>Law Enforcement Pub Confirms Graffiti Vandalism “A Gateway Crime”
>University Thesis Addresses Root Causes of Graffiti Vandalism
>Law Enforcement Course on Graffiti Culture
>Anti-Graffiti “Wraps” Combat Chronic Vandalism
>Limited Offer for Free Removal Products
>San Antonio Graffiti Hurts® Grant Recipient Moves Forward with “PLUG” Program
>Federal Stimulus Funds Help Clean up Graffiti in Los Angeles
>City of Fort Worth Education Efforts Getting Results
Featured Resources
Graffiti Hurts® Web Site Draws International Visitors
In 2009, the Graffiti Hurts® Web site and its resources were visited by over 71,000 people, with 36 percent of those from other countries, including Australia, the UK, Canada, and Mexico. The average visitor stayed on the site well over 5 minutes, and 13 percent were repeat visitors to the site.
>If you haven’t checked out the Graffiti Hurts® Web site lately, take a peek.
2010 TAGS Conference: Save the Date
The 2010 TAGS Anti Graffiti Symposium will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Oct. 19–20 at the Calgary Coast Plaza Hotel.
>Get more information.
Graffiti in the News
Corpus Christi, Texas, Holds Second Graffiti Summit
On Jan. 28, the City of Corpus Christi invited the public to a graffiti summit, “Together, we can take a stand.” The community joined with the city, law enforcement, and elected officials, including Mayor Joe Adame, City Councilman John Marez, and Police Chief Troy Riggs. The event helps residents learn about ways to help prevent graffiti and take advantage of free removal. The city’s graffiti task force, formed in 2007, has already seen positive signs of their efforts, including 72 arrests in 2008, and an expansion of both volunteer and city removal efforts.
>More
Santa Clarita, Calif., Graffiti Task Force Getting Results
 The Santa Clarita’s Graffiti Task Force 2009 annual report shows more tags removed and fewer reported incidence. The addition of a paint matching truck, identifying “hot spots,” implementing a rewards program, and working closely with the local sheriff’s department are getting results. They also note that some of the program’s success is due to partnerships and outreach efforts by the City and Sheriff’s Department to more than 1,900 students, and more than a dozen Teens Against Graffiti (TAG) projects.
>More
“Youth in the News”
Greeley, Colo. Youth Fight Graffiti with Art
When a Greeley Boys & Girls Club was tagged with graffiti, the youth decided to respond in a positive way. During this past National Day of Service, they created a mural on a wall chronically hit with graffiti. About 14 club members — ages 9 to 17 — and staff organized, got city approval, and then painted a mural they titled “Be Great, Great From the Ground Up.”
>Read more
County of Maui and Youth Volunteers Team Up to Keep Skate Parks Graffiti-Free
 It just takes one person to rally for change. Andrew Beerer, Kihei Community Association Board Member and well-known skateboarder, has been cleaning up Maui’s skate parks for several years. When youth saw him and offered to help, he took things a step further. In December 2009, Beerer organized a group of youth volunteers, including skate park users and youth from the Maui Boys & Girls Club, to paint over graffiti at two skate parks. Through these volunteer efforts and the help of the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, the Kalama Skate Park in Kihei and Kahului's Keopulani Skate Park are now "graffiti-free." According to Beerer, “Helping maintain the skateboard parks and painting over graffiti makes for a better experience that puts skateboarders in a positive light. We encourage the users to take ownership of their parks."
>More
Shop to Support Graffiti Hurts®
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>Buy this hoodie today! ($43.99)
From Graffiti Hurts®
Welcome to the February issue of Graffiti Hurts® eNews, a bi-monthly electronic publication from Graffiti Hurts® and Keep America Beautiful, Inc. Through this publication, we hope to provide broad coverage of news and information on graffiti prevention initiatives, technology, and resources. We welcome your feedback at graffitihurts@kab.org.
Graffiti Hurts® eNews
February 2010
Volume 3, Issue 1
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HEADLINE NEWS
Law Enforcement Pub Confirms Graffiti Vandalism “A Gateway Crime”
 The February 2010 cover article in Canada’s Blue Line Magazine describes graffiti vandalism as a gateway crime. According to the article, authored by Detective Constable Lee Jones, “dedicated officers who investigate graffiti know it is associated with rampant abuse of drugs and alcohol and other criminal activity, including break and enter, arson, theft, robbery, sexual assault, drug trafficking and production and possession of weapons and child pornography.”
The article cites research at the University of Queensland, as well as Jones’ personal experience in the Saskatoon, Canada Police Service Anti Graffiti Unit. According to Jones, “investing time and resources in investigating graffiti crime will pay dividends in the end because you decrease other, previously undetected criminal offences that the writers are committing.” The opportunity for early intervention is also increased.
>Read the full article
University Thesis Addresses Root Causes of Graffiti Vandalism
Cynthia Hookstra, 2009 Masters of Science student, took on graffiti vandalism for her degree at University of La Verne (Calif.) The thesis, “Adolescent Graffiti Vandalism: Exploring the Root Causes,” reports on the results of two surveys Hookstra conducted with professionals who work with youth, and youth involved in graffiti vandalism. She found that professionals see graffiti as a parental control issue and youth see it as a peer or social activity.
The surveys were part of a case study about the root causes of graffiti vandalism in the City of Oxnard (Calif.) and how they might address and deter graffiti vandalism with limited resources. Empirical data in the literature review supported the city of Oxnard’s grass roots effort to heighten awareness of graffiti within the community, as well as its outreach efforts to educate the youth in the community and help them make the connections between graffiti vandalism and its consequences.
>To see all survey results and recommendations, download the report here.
GRAFFITI PREVENTION TOOLS
Law Enforcement Course on Graffiti Culture
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Criminal Justice Institute has announced a free course for law enforcement and prosecutors on “Taggers and the Graffiti Culture” conducted by Sgt. Dwight Waldo from the San Bernardino Police Department. The March 10, 2010 training will be held at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Los Angeles. Register now.
The course provides an in-depth analysis of tagger culture and is geared for patrol officers who may be involved in active graffiti investigations or special units that deal with quality of life issues.
>For more information, contact LADA's Criminal Justice Institute at (213) 893-2222 or email cji@da.lacounty.gov.
Vinyl Wraps Foils Vandals
 Vinyl wraps, often used on vehicles and city buses for advertising, are emerging as an effective tool for combating graffiti. Municipalities are using vinyl wraps on utility or electrical boxes and adding a graffiti-resistant laminate coating to protect their investment.
>See what the City of Surrey, Ontario, is doing, and check out some creative examples from this vendor. Your local sign shop may provide vinyl wraps as well.
Limited Offer for Free Removal Products
The World’s Best Graffiti Remover is offering a free municipal sample pack of their graffiti removal products. This offer is available exclusively to cities, government agencies, business improvement districts and schools.
>Order a free sample pack
COMMUNITY FOCUS
San Antonio Graffiti Hurts® Grant Recipient Moves Forward with “PLUG” Program
 The San Antonio program, “Place a Light Upon Graffiti” or PLUG, is using their 2009 $2,500 Graffiti Hurts® grant funds for solar-powered motion-detecting lights to be placed in darkly lit areas across the city that are target for graffiti vandalism. The Graffiti Abatement Program is now taking applications for those who would like to receive the lights, and have received more than 300.
They’ve also secured a 100% match for the grant with donations from CPS Energy, VIA Metropolitan Transit, Graffiti Wipeout Program, and Union Pacific. Between doubling the grant funding, and a 35 percent Lowe’s discount, they expect to be able to offer nearly 100 lights to the best applicants.
>See the Web page on this program. It’s also being promoted in local radio and TV media. Watch a news clip from KENS5-TV.
Federal Stimulus Funds Help Clean up Graffiti in Los Angeles
 The Army Corps of Engineers began to remove graffiti vandalism along 100 miles of Los Angeles County’s “flood-control system” using $837,000 in federal stimulus money. The one-year contract provides for removing tags along rivers, channels, and creeks — the L.A. River bed. In three months, the corps has covered about 13 square miles of walls, banks, and bridge abutments.
To support these efforts they are also making the environment much less inviting to taggers. In addition to access, lighting and other changes, law enforcement has stepped up efforts, including tracking tags and making arrests.
>Read the Los Angeles Times article.
City of Fort Worth Education Efforts Getting Results
The City of Fort Worth, Texas, began incorporating the Graffiti Hurts® curriculum into the 3rd and 5th grades after school programs in early 2009. “Our big focus has been on teaching youth that the difference between graffiti and art is ‘permission’,” says Alison Letnes, City of Fort Worth Graffiti Abatement Program.
They have been sharing this same message through a fledgling program, called “We Are Legal” run by two Forth Worth Independent School District art instructors, Mary Boswell and Maria Patino. They work with youth to instill that the community will see their “pieces” as valuable to the community as long as they are respectful and get permission first. They have completed six murals since March 2009 and have received a lot of positive attention for the youth.
These education efforts are just part of a larger initiative to prevent and abate graffiti vandalism, which has helped them to see a decrease during 2009 in requests for graffiti abatement by 33 percent, the first time it’s decreased in years, according to Letnes.
In 2009 the Graffiti Abatement Program also made 66 presentations to school and community groups — double the number from 2008. Law enforcement has an officer dedicated to graffiti, the city has a cleanup staff of four who inspect and abate graffiti vandalism with pressure washing, painting, and chemical removers. They organize volunteer cleanup efforts, including conducting a “Blitz” 15 times each year, where groups of volunteers and police come in and “sweep” an area for graffiti removal. They also have a paint brush mural program, completing about 12 annually using both youth and adult volunteers.
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