1. Graffiti Hurts® “Swiss Cheese” PPT for Keep America Beautiful Affiliates
Download one or more of the following slide sections for presentations on graffiti vandalism. Then add any slides with local graffiti data and information. Sections are divided by topic area. Some slides are repeated in one or more sections.
Basic Graffiti Information/Overview (slides 3-14)
Gang Graffiti (slides 16-17)
Graffiti Prevention Strategies (slides 19-27)
Graffiti Removal (slides 29-31)
What You Can Do To Prevent Graffiti – appropriate for schools and communities (slides 33-38)
Projects to Prevent Graffiti – appropriate for schools and communities (slides 40-46)
Resources (slides 48-50)
For additional information or requests, contact
Updated: July 2007

2. Basic Graffiti Information/Overview (Slides 3-14)

3. Graffiti…It Hurts Everyone
Graffiti vandals believe their actions harm no one. The reality is graffiti hurts everyone—homeowners, communities, businesses, schools, and you. And, those who practice it risk personal injury, violence, and arrest.

4. How Does Graffiti “Hurt”?
Increases citizen fear
Reduces retail sales and pedestrian traffic
Property values decline
Attracts other forms of crime
Cleanup drains city budgets
Safety - Patrons of buildings, parks, or public facilities where graffiti vandalism has occurred may feel that if graffiti is tolerated, then other more serious crimes, such as theft and assault, may also go unchallenged (Deborah Lamm Weisel, “Graffiti,” U.S. Department of Justice Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No ).
Retail sales - "Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced ridership on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of gang activity" reports the U.S. Department of Justice (Deborah Lamm Weisel, “Graffiti,” U.S. Department of Justice Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No ).
Property values - Graffiti contributes to a decline in property values. The appearance of graffiti is often perceived by residents and passers-by as a sign that a downward spiral has begun, even though this may not be true.
Schools and youth - The majority of public high schools and middle schools report incidents of vandalism during the school year. Data shows little difference between cities, towns, and rural areas (U.S. Department of Education, “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2001”, October 2001, p ). About 36% of students saw hate-related graffiti at school (Deborah Lamm Weisel, “Graffiti,” U.S. Department of Justice Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No ).
Clean up costs - Although the cost of graffiti vandalism in the U.S. has yet to be definitively documented, for many communities, private property owners, and public agencies the cost is rising each year.

5. The Cost of Graffiti
Los Angeles County, its 88 cities, MTA, and Caltrans spent an estimated $28 million in 2006 on graffiti removal (Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, 2006)
Milwaukee and Denver spend about $1 million annually for graffiti removal; in 2006 Chicago budgeted $6.5 million; Las Vegas about $3 million
Vandalism totaled about $1.7 billion in damage in Graffiti, at 35%, is the most common type of property vandalism (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2002)
Clean up costs - Although the cost of graffiti vandalism in the U.S. has yet to be definitively documented, for many communities, private property owners, and public agencies the cost is rising each year.
Figures from a variety of cities across the U.S. suggest that graffiti cleanup alone costs taxpayers about $1-3 per person each year. For smaller communities the amount dedicated to graffiti cleanup annually may be less than $1 per person.
A 2006 survey of the 88 cities, Caltrans and Metro in Los Angeles County on graffiti removal found the cost was about $28 million. With a population of close to 10 million, the per capita cost is about $2.80. With a population of just under one million, the City of San Jose, CA spent approximately $2 million in 2006 fighting graffiti.
For communities with smaller populations, per capita costs are typically under $1.00. Pittsburgh, PA (population just over 300,000) spends around $350,000 annually for graffiti clean up. Omaha, NE spends about $100,000 a year on graffiti removal (population just over 400,000). In 2006, the Tennessee Department of Transportation spent more than $240,000 on removing graffiti along its roads and bridges.
Denver, CO and Milwaukee, WI, with similar populations-just over 550,000-each spend about $1 million annually. This is a per capita cost of about $1.80. In Houston, TX (population just over 2 million), the city earmarked $2.2 million for cleanup of existing graffiti in 2006.
Chicago, IL budgeted $6.5 million in 2006 for graffiti removal and Graffiti Blasters, the city's removal program (population a little over 2.8 million). This is a per capita cost of around $2.30. Las Vegas, NV with a population of about 1.7 million spends more than $3 million each year cleaning up graffiti.

6. What is Graffiti?
Words, colors, and shapes drawn or scratched on public or private property without consent
Also includes adhesives, etching, and stencil graffiti
The FBI considers graffiti “vandalism”
The term graffiti comes from the Greek word graphein, which means, “to write.” Graffiti today ranges from simple, one-color monikers (like a nickname), called “tags,” repeated on many surfaces to complex compositions of several colors.

7. The difference between graffiti and art
What is Graffiti?
The difference between graffiti and art
is PERMISSION

8. Who Writes Graffiti? Largely male; 15% are female
Most between age 12 and 21
Suburban adolescents create 50% - 70% of graffiti
Members of the community
Young males – Most studies show that the majority of “taggers” are males between 12 and 21 years old. Children in elementary school as well as older adults, however, have also been caught. In a San Diego study, all taggers identified within a two-mile area were male, and 72% were 16 or younger (San Diego Police Department, “Mid-City Graffiti Project”). Approximately 15 percent of graffiti vandals are young females. While not heavily involved, indications are that this trend is on the rise. It is not unusual for a “crew” of vandals to include women (Victoria Wilson, sociologist, who surveyed law enforcement agencies in 23 cities on the subject).
Suburban – While much of graffiti is found in inner cities, graffiti vandalism has become an increasingly suburban occurrence. Arrest data from 17 major cities shows that 50 to 70 percent of all street-level graffiti is created by suburban adolescents, predominately males between the ages of 12 and 19 (Long Island Rail Road Police Department Graffiti Team).
Community members - Most graffiti vandalism is done by members of the community. Because the primary objective of graffiti vandals is to achieve maximum recognition among their peers, they generally will tag property where it is most likely to be seen by those who know them. Gang graffiti, however, may come from gang members outside the city.

9. What Motivates Graffiti Writers?
FAME
Quality
Exposure
Quantity
Risk
REBELLION
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Style
Originality
Technique
POWER
Individual power
Collective power
Fame- a graffiti vandal’s greatest accomplishment is to achieve “fame” by having his or her work seen and respected by others in the graffiti subculture, to have tags and pieces appear in places where an obvious risk was taken, and to have work appear in a newspaper, on television, or in any other medium. Trucks and railroad cars are also favored because they are “moving billboards.”
Quality-is especially important for “piecers” who concentrate their efforts on more difficult and time consuming aerosol murals.
Exposure-walls are carefully chosen based on the visibility of the surface to other writers.
Quantity-writers must “get up” more than everyone else--on walls, overpasses, and any and all private and public property.
Risk-more respect and status is given to graffiti writers who risk their lives to write graffiti in dangerous locations.
Rebellion- some vandals use graffiti to show frustration or even disgust with society. Yet, most do not believe that graffiti warrants punitive action.
Self Expression-graffiti vandals see their actions as a creative outlet and an opportunity to be noticed. Vandals who create large mural-like “pieces” often contend that they are beautifying a drab and sterile environment. They consider themselves “artists”.
Power-graffiti vandals obtain a sense of individual power by laying a symbolic claim to the area that they graffiti. They also experience collective power by belonging to a youth subculture.

10. Types of Graffiti Vandalism
Primarily Tags (some throw-ups or pieces)
Gang
Other (e.g. hate)
Generic
According to the National Council to Prevent Delinquency (NCPD), about 80% of graffiti is hip hop or "tagger" graffiti.  Another 5% are "pieces".  Nationally, gang graffiti makes up about 10%.  In some cities, however, the amount of gang graffiti may be higher. 
Tagger graffiti consists of "tags," "throw-ups," and "pieces”.
Gang graffiti is used to mark gang territory, list members, offer drugs or contraband for sale, or send warnings to rivals. It may include letters, symbols, or numbers understood only by gangs and law enforcement.
Generic graffiti (or conventional graffiti) includes random markings, initials, declarations of love, social commentary, profanity, graduation events--"Class of 1997"--and other non-threatening messages.  Generic graffiti has no particular style. 
Ideological or hate graffiti is any racial, religious, or cultural slur. 

11. Graffiti - “Tags”
A "tag" is the graffiti vandal's moniker applied quickly and repetitively. It is usually a single color.

12. Graffiti - “Throw-ups”
A "throw-up" is a more elaborate tag, usually done in two or more colors.  Vandals often use balloon letters, which are filled in or left as outlines. 

13. Graffiti - “Pieces”
"Pieces," short for "masterpieces," are large, detailed drawings.  They are colorful, can include cartoon-like characters, and may take an hour or more to complete.

14. Places at High Risk for Graffiti
Transportation systems
Highways and road signs
Dumpsters, utility boxes, alleys, and private buildings
Areas lacking oversight (littered, poorly-lit, abandoned)
Skateboard parks and other outdoor public places
Areas where graffiti has been painted over to create a “canvas”
Areas around “legal” walls
Graffiti appears in any place open to public view. Primary targets include (from Deborah Lamm Weisel, “Graffiti”, Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No. 9, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2002):
Transportation systems (trains, subways, buses, transit stations, and shelters)
Highways (freeway and traffic signs, bridges, overpasses)
Public places (park benches, utility poles and boxes, billboards, parking garages, schools, perimeter walls and fences, etc.)
Areas where graffiti has been painted over with contrasting colors or so that a “canvas” is created. Also smooth, light-colored surfaces or surfaces that are large and contain no windows.
Areas lacking oversight (vacant buildings, buildings with absentee landlords, poorly lit facilities, etc.)

15. Responding to Graffiti Vandalism
Report to law enforcement and graffiti “hotline”
Identify the type of graffiti
Document with a photo of the graffiti
Remove graffiti promptly and completely
1. Report. Contact the police to report graffiti vandalism using a non-emergency number. Make sure police complete an incident report, a common requirement of insurance companies. Also, contact any graffiti “hotline” operating in the community to report graffiti and get information on cleanup.
2. Identify. Work with local authorities to identify if the graffiti is being done by taggers or gangs. If it is gang graffiti, ask law enforcement about any safety concerns.
3. Document. Take a picture of the graffiti before it is removed. Photographs will assist law enforcement in their investigation.
4. Remove. Remove graffiti promptly and completely. To ensure safety, work with law enforcement on removing any identified gang graffiti.

16. Gang Graffiti (Slides 16-17)

17. Gang Graffiti
Makes up about 10%-15% of all graffiti (Source: National Council to Prevent Delinquency)
Form of communication using codes (letters, numbers, and symbols) with common meaning; the “newspaper of the street”
May be one of the first indications of gang activity in a community
About 85% of gang members are in large cities and suburban counties (Source: National Youth Gang Survey 2002)
Gang graffiti is used to mark gang territory, list members, offer drugs or contraband for sale, or send warnings to rivals. It may include letters, symbols, or numbers understood only by gangs and law enforcement.

18. Unlike Tagger Graffiti, Gang Graffiti:
Identifies the gang and marks territory
Serves to warn or challenge rival gangs
Glorifies the gang; advertises its status or power
Advertises the sale of drugs
Memorializes fellow gang members

19. Graffiti Prevention Strategies (Slides 19-27)

20. Most Effective Prevention Strategy
Proper and rapid removal ( hours)
Rapid removal of graffiti is an effective prevention tool. Data shows that removal within 24 to 48 hours results in a nearly zero rate of recurrence (Jay Beswick and Ernie Garrett, Graffiti Prevention Systems, data from over 1,500 sites in Los Angeles County from ).
Most Keep America Beautiful affiliates credit the reduction in graffiti in their communities to rapid removal (Survey of Keep America Beautiful affiliates conducted for Graffiti Hurts, 2000).
Rapid removal is just the first step. Follow up with prevention techniques to ensure the area is not hit again with graffiti, and step up public education and police enforcement of local anti-graffiti laws.

21. The Impact of Rapid Removal

22. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Ongoing upkeep
keep neighborhood clean and neat
remove litter and trash
fix broken fences, windows, stairs, etc.
trim landscape
install proper lighting
Make every effort to keep the appearance of a neighborhood clean and neat. Remove litter and trash, fix broken fences, trim landscape, and ensure all lighting is working properly (Cornelius Ashton and Jordan Mirakian, “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: The Linda Vista Continuing Education Center,” Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 31 Issue: 4 July/August 2001, pp. 19, 21-22).
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, an exterior appearance that suggests apathy and neglect attracts vandals (Los Angeles Police Department, “Los Angeles Police Department Commercial Burglary Prevention Circular,” 2001). Poorly-lit areas also help camouflage graffiti writers. And, as pedestrian traffics diminishes, graffiti writers are able to write without risk of exposure.
Broken window theory suggest littered and run-down areas signify that community residents don’t care about their neighborhood, giving vandals the opportunity to create graffiti that will not be cleaned up quickly.

23. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Enforce anti-graffiti laws
support law enforcement efforts at your school and in the community
educate students, community members, and businesses about the law
report graffiti promptly
Ensure that any existing anti-graffiti laws are being enforced. Law enforcement dedicated to tracking and apprehending graffiti vandals is a strong deterrent. A survey of arrested taggers found “fear of getting caught” was the top response when asked what would get them to stop tagging (City of San Jose, CA, “Tag Class Youth Evaluation,” 2001 and 2002).
Educate the public about the impact of graffiti vandalism and provide a way for them to report graffiti. In many cities, an 800 number, a dedicated telephone line, or a web site is established for this purpose. Respond promptly to reports of graffiti vandalism.
For a guide to developing local anti-graffiti laws, visit the National Council to Prevent Delinquency web site (

24. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Involve the Community
cleanups
adopt-a-spot
murals
“Paint bank”
Adopt-a-spot - A handful of communities provide citizen volunteers with graffiti cleanup kits to keep an area they have “adopted” graffiti free. These programs improve awareness and engage citizens in graffiti prevention. Information for creating such a program is available on the Graffiti Hurts web site (
Community murals - Use a community mural to restore a wall chronically hit with graffiti. Graffiti vandals typically do not tag a paint-brush mural, although in a few cities this has happened. Murals are also a good way to get the community involved in graffiti prevention. Murals projects can include local artists, youth and community volunteers, and the local paint store, which may be willing to donate paint and brushes. A step-by-step guide for creating a mural is available on the Graffiti Hurts web site (
Paint banks - Businesses can work with other merchants to organize and contribute to a “paint bank”. Paints, rollers, brushes, and other equipment from the bank are “borrowed” as needed. Ensure safe and environmentally appropriate storage of paint. Consider a fire station to house the paint bank.

25. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Control access
natural deterrents/ landscaping
controlled exits
limit rooftop access
metal baffles on signs
Make changes to build-in graffiti prevention (from Deborah Weisel, “Graffiti,” U.S. Dept of Justice Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No. 9, page 2 (2002):
Incorporate natural deterrents, such as landscaping. Shrubs, thorny plants, and vines will effectively restrict vandal access.
Plan or add lighting to promote natural surveillance.
Use fences, controlled entrance and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic.
Limit access to roofs by moving dumpsters away from walls and covering drainpipes to prevent vandals from scaling them.
Use graffiti hoods to buffer freeway signs.
Incorporate metal baffles on sign poles, similar to squirrel baffles on bird feeders.

26. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Employ graffiti resistant surfaces
anti-graffiti coatings
textured surfaces
dark or colorful surfaces
Step up security
monitoring
cameras
“Neighborhood Watch” or “Business Watch”
no “legal walls” or graffiti “events”
Employ graffiti resistant surfaces - To vandal proof targeted areas use:
Textured surfaces, which are less attractive to graffiti vandals.
Dark colored or colorful surfaces; neither of these provide a good canvas for a graffiti vandal.
Sacrificial coatings, which allow graffiti to be washed off. Sacrificial coatings must be re-applied after each graffiti clean-up.
Graffiti resistant materials or coatings. The city of Tucson, AZ, for example, requires that walls of new buildings be constructed of or painted with graffiti resistant materials (NCPD legislative activity report, 2002).
Step up security - Get the support of law enforcement to step up police monitoring of locations that are frequently hit by graffiti. A few communities are using some type of security camera in areas that are frequently graffitied. Also consider organizing a “Neighborhood Watch” to keep an eye on targeted sites.
Legal walls- These are largely ineffective as a deterrent or graffiti prevention device. Communities that have tried “legal” walls, or areas that permit graffiti, find them ineffective. Over a dozen cities in California, Illinois, and other states have all found them to be “a failure”.
Legal walls send a mixed message—sponsoring graffiti in an effort to rid a community of graffiti. While they may work at first, after a period of time, the surrounding areas also become covered with graffiti. Data also shows no decrease in arrests for graffiti in cities where there are legal walls.

27. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Avoid showing graffiti in the media
use small area or distorted view
don’t mention “tag” names
avoid referring to graffiti vandals as “artists”
Request that reporters avoid showing graffiti, as it only gives more fame to the person who did it.
If graffiti must be shown, ask that only one small unrecognizable area be used, or that a background of graffiti be slightly out-of-focus to distort any tags. It can also be photographed at an angle that makes it illegible.
Ask that they not only report on the problem, but the positive steps being taken to reduce graffiti in the community.
Never mention vandals by their tag names in stories.
Involve reporters in local graffiti prevention and cleanup activities.
Never refer to graffiti vandal as “artists”.

28. Other Ways to Prevent Graffiti:
Provide alternatives
youth centers
arts/murals
community mentors
after school and sports programs
volunteerism (cleanups, anti-graffiti activities)
The Institute for Law and Justice, Inc. manual on safe neighborhoods suggests diverting graffiti criminals to positive alternatives (Institute for Law and Justice, Inc., “Citizen Action for Neighborhood Safety: Community Strategies for Improving the Quality of Life,” August 1997). The effectiveness of this approach is largely undocumented, but consider some of the following to encourage youth in more positive directions:
Youth Centers – A 2002 Colorado study recommends establishing centers for youth to gain leadership skills and to express themselves in a variety of ways. The centers teach responsibility and provide a safe place to have fun (Amanda Arthur, “Troublemakers,” Longmont Colorado Times, August 8, 2002, B1-2. cites “Youth and Violence: Colorado Students Speak Out for a More Civil Society”).
Arts Programs – A 1999 U.S. Conference of Mayors study found that youth participating in arts programs exhibit improvements in academic performance, conflict resolution, team building, and decreased frequency of delinquent behavior (U.S. Conference of Mayors 67th Winter Meeting, “National Study Demonstrates Arts Programs for Youth are Highly Effective in Deterring Delinquent Behavior,” January 1999). Get a YouthARTS Tool Kit at for help creating an arts program.
Community Programs – Community programs encourage youth to take control of their lives, make good choices, and provide a substitute for vandalism. For example, Seattle Public Utilities developed a program for at-risk youth called ArtWorks (
Youth Involvement – Involve youth and schools in graffiti prevention efforts, such as cleanups or mural projects. Keep Houston Beautiful paired groups of neighborhood youth with professional artists to design and paint a mural on a chronically tagged wall.

29. Graffiti Removal (Slides 29-31)

30. Removing Graffiti Things to Consider
surface (wood, concrete, brick, etc.)
appropriate removal method
access
costs
local restrictions
Many cities establish removal and restoration guidelines to encourage appropriate graffiti removal. These ensure that the abatement efforts of community groups, non-profits, and government employees are safe and effective while maintaining the structural integrity of the city’s architecture.
Before embarking on a graffiti removal effort, become familiar with any removal and restoration guidelines. Some cities may provide training or informational materials to city personnel and to community leaders involved in graffiti prevention.
One more note of caution. Removal techniques and technologies are constantly changing. Carefully examine any new products and procedures before applying these in the community. And, always abide by safety guidelines.

31. Removing Graffiti Paint Out low cost and relatively safe
avoid the “patchwork” effect
prepare the surface area
color match to the surface
select the right paint
ensure proper cleanup
Avoid the patchwork effect - Removing graffiti by painting new random square blocks provides graffiti writers with a new, bright canvas. Improper paint selection may also lead to bleed-through of graffiti due to poor durability. Color match the paint to the original surface color. If this cannot be done, repaint the entire surface. If limited by time and/or paint, paint the entire surface from ground level up to a certain height (making sure that the line of paint is clean and straight).
Prepare the surface – Painting over a surface that is not properly prepared may lead to peeling and cracking of paint. Ensure appropriate surface preparation before painting over any graffiti.
Select the right paint - Poor paint selection and repeated paint-outs have the potential to cause surface damage, allowing for structural deterioration.
When painting over surfaces like wood, concrete, block wall, and brick choose “breathable” paint, such as an acrylic latex (i.e. paint manufactured so that moisture can pass through the product and escape from inside the surface).
Ensure proper clean up – Use a drop cloth when painting to avoid dripping large amounts of paint on the sidewalk and other areas around the site. Also, promptly clean or properly dispose of equipment such as cleaning brushes, rollers, and buckets. Also, it is often illegal and always environmentally irresponsible to allow dirty cleaning water into the sewer systems or into the soil. Check with local environmental or solid waste services about disposal options or read the product label recommendations for disposal.
For more details on using paint to remove graffiti, visit

32. Removing Graffiti Power Washing Chemical Removal
best for brick, concrete, tile, and other masonry
water may include chemical or abrasive additives
professional application best
Chemical Removal
useful for small cleanups (utility boxes, light poles, etc.)
larger cleanups require professional application
Power Washing
Understand all safety precautions prior to using any pressure washing equipment. Significant damage and/or injury can occur if used improperly.
Pressure washing a surface to remove graffiti can be accomplished with three types of washers:
pressure washers,
power washers, and
jet washers.
Each is affected by a combination of factors. To learn more about these, visit
Chemical Removal
Chemical removal formulations vary. Typically, the stronger the solvent, the more toxic, and the better and more quickly it will work to dissolve unwanted paints. A solvent or cleaner that is poorly matched to a particular construction material, however, may create aesthetically unappealing results. Successful product selection is critical.
There are five basic types of chemical graffiti removers, which come in a variety of forms including gels, creams, and liquids. To learn more about these, visit

33. What You Can Do To Prevent Graffiti – appropriate for schools and communities
(Slides 33-38)

34. What You Can Do To Prevent Graffiti
Keep your school and neighborhood clean and neat:
remove litter and trash
fix broken fences, windows, stairs, etc.
trim landscape
install proper lighting
Make every effort to keep the appearance of a neighborhood clean and neat. Remove litter and trash, fix broken fences, trim landscape, and ensure all lighting is working properly (Cornelius Ashton and Jordan Mirakian, “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: The Linda Vista Continuing Education Center,” Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 31 Issue: 4 July/August 2001, pp. 19, 21-22).
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, an exterior appearance that suggests apathy and neglect attracts vandals (Los Angeles Police Department, “Los Angeles Police Department Commercial Burglary Prevention Circular,” 2001). Poorly-lit areas also help camouflage graffiti writers. And, as pedestrian traffics diminishes, graffiti writers are able to write without risk of exposure.
Broken window theory suggest littered and run-down areas signify that community residents don’t care about their neighborhood, giving vandals the opportunity to create graffiti that will not be cleaned up quickly.

35. What You Can Do To Prevent Graffiti
Get educated and report graffiti:
Learn how graffiti impacts your school and community
Who is responsible for graffiti prevention and clean-up
How can you report graffiti or locate the number for a graffiti “hotline”
1. Report. Contact the police to report graffiti vandalism using a non-emergency number. Make sure police complete an incident report, a common requirement of insurance companies. Also, contact any graffiti “hotline” operating in the community to report graffiti and get information on cleanup.
2. Identify. Work with local authorities to identify if the graffiti is being done by taggers or gangs. If it is gang graffiti, ask law enforcement about any safety concerns.
3. Document. Take a picture of the graffiti before it is removed. Photographs will assist law enforcement in their investigation.
4. Remove. Remove graffiti promptly and completely. To ensure safety, work with law enforcement on removing any identified gang graffiti.

36. What You Can Do To Prevent Graffiti
Volunteer to get involved:
Organize a paint out or clean-up
Plan and create a mural
Work with police to assemble graffiti removal kits
Be a mentor; educate grade schoolers about graffiti vandalism
Help establish a paint bank at the local fire station
Adopt-a-spot - A handful of communities provide citizen volunteers with graffiti cleanup kits to keep an area they have “adopted” graffiti free. These programs improve awareness and engage citizens in graffiti prevention. Information for creating such a program is available on the Graffiti Hurts web site (
Community murals - Use a community mural to restore a wall chronically hit with graffiti. Graffiti vandals typically do not tag a paint-brush mural, although in a few cities this has happened. Murals are also a good way to get the community involved in graffiti prevention. Murals projects can include local artists, youth and community volunteers, and the local paint store, which may be willing to donate paint and brushes. A step-by-step guide for creating a mural is available on the Graffiti Hurts web site (
Paint banks - Businesses can work with other merchants to organize and contribute to a “paint bank”. Paints, rollers, brushes, and other equipment from the bank are “borrowed” as needed. Ensure safe and environmentally appropriate storage of paint. Consider a fire station to house the paint bank.
Youth Involvement – Involve youth and schools in graffiti prevention efforts, such as cleanups or mural projects. Keep Houston Beautiful paired groups of neighborhood youth with professional artists to design and paint a mural on a chronically tagged wall.

37. What You Can Do To Prevent Graffiti
Coordinate a graffiti awareness campaign
Make a presentation
Organize a pledge for a “graffiti-free” community or school
Plan an anti-graffiti poster contest; put the winning art/slogan on t-shirts, hats, etc.
Promote an 800 number for reporting graffiti
Create and distribute Graffiti Hurts® awareness “bracelets”
This is called “collective efficacy” which is defined as cohesion among neighborhood residents combined with shared expectations for informal social control of public space. Research conducted by the National Institute of Justice (2001) has found that these type of activities inhibit both neighborhood disorder and crime.

38. What You Can Do to Prevent Graffiti
“Adopt-a-Wall”
Commit to keeping a wall at your school or community graffiti-free
Plant trees or other greenery near a graffiti-plagued wall
Ask your community to install lighting
Make changes to build-in graffiti prevention (from Deborah Weisel, “Graffiti,” U.S. Dept of Justice Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No. 9, page 2 (2002):
Incorporate natural deterrents, such as landscaping. Shrubs, thorny plants, and vines will effectively restrict vandal access.
Plan or add lighting to promote natural surveillance.
Use fences, controlled entrance and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic.
Limit access to roofs by moving dumpsters away from walls and covering drainpipes to prevent vandals from scaling them.
Use graffiti hoods to buffer freeway signs.
Incorporate metal baffles on sign poles, similar to squirrel baffles on bird feeders.

39. Community Projects to Prevent Graffiti – appropriate for schools and communities
(Slides 40-46)

40. Projects to Prevent Graffiti
Organize a paint-out and cleanup
remove any graffiti
remove litter and trash
fix broken fences, windows, stairs, etc.
trim landscape
install proper lighting
Schools, youth organizations, church groups, businesses, neighborhood associations and others in the community can participate in graffiti cleanup. To get step-by-step instructions for organizing a graffiti cleanup go to the Graffiti Hurts web site at

41. Projects to Prevent Graffiti
Adopt-a-wall
Ensure rapid removal of any graffiti
Ensure adequate lighting
Plant trees or other greenery
Keep the area neat and clean
Make changes to build-in graffiti prevention (from Deborah Weisel, “Graffiti,” U.S. Dept of Justice Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No. 9, page 2 (2002):
Incorporate natural deterrents, such as landscaping. Shrubs, thorny plants, and vines will effectively restrict vandal access.
Plan or add lighting to promote natural surveillance.
Use fences, controlled entrance and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic.
Limit access to roofs by moving dumpsters away from walls and covering drainpipes to prevent vandals from scaling them.
Use graffiti hoods to buffer freeway signs.
Incorporate metal baffles on sign poles, similar to squirrel baffles on bird feeders.

42. Project to Prevent Graffiti
Coordinate a mural project
Identify a site/s
Secure partners and funding
Work with the community to create a design
Recruit volunteers and gather supplies
Community murals - Use a community mural to restore a wall chronically hit with graffiti. Graffiti vandals typically do not tag a paint-brush mural, although in a few cities this has happened. Murals, however, are a great way to get the community involved in graffiti prevention. Murals can involve local artists, youth and community volunteers, and the local paint store, which may be willing to donate paint and brushes. A step-by-step guide for creating a mural is available on the Graffiti Hurts web site (

43. Projects to Prevent Graffiti
Work with police
Understand local anti-graffiti laws
Coordinate graffiti removal efforts
Ensure response to graffiti hotline
Coordinate graffiti education
Effective community graffiti prevention programs coordinate closely with local law enforcement. Police are critical to enforcing anti-graffiti laws, they are an integral part of any graffiti hotline and database, they are effective educators about graffiti vandalism in neighborhoods and schools, and they are the ones that ultimately make the arrests. To get tips and potential obstacles for working with law enforcement, go to the Graffiti Hurts web site at

44. Projects to Prevent Graffiti
Establish a paint bank
Work with businesses to organize and contribute
Identify a location that is safe for storage
Coordinate how supplies are checked out and replaced
Paint banks - Businesses can work with other merchants to organize and contribute to a “paint bank”. Paints, rollers, brushes, and other equipment from the bank are “borrowed” as needed. Ensure safe and environmentally appropriate storage of paint. Consider a fire station to house the paint bank.

45. Projects to Prevent Graffiti
Coordinate an awareness campaign
Use Graffiti Hurts® curriculum to present at schools, community centers, after-school programs
Organize a “graffiti-free” pledge
Plan an anti-graffiti poster contest; promote winning art/slogan on T-shirts, hats, etc.
Create and distribute Graffiti Hurts® awareness “bracelets”

46. Projects to Prevent Graffiti
Organize a graffiti summit
Bring the community together to get educated on graffiti
Create community awareness; get media involved
Get new volunteers for graffiti prevention activities
Have police and other public officials present
Conclude with a graffiti cleanup
Use a graffiti summit to educate and rally the community around responding to graffiti vandalism. This can be an annual public event, or something less formal that is held more regularly with a small group of stakeholders. Invite experts to speak about enforcement, removal technologies, and education.

47. Resources
(Slides 48-50)

48. Where To Get Resources? Graffiti Hurts®
Grassroots graffiti education and prevention
A program of Keep America Beautiful and its over 550 community affiliates
Supported by The Sherwin-Williams Company since 1995

49. Get Help from Graffiti Hurts®At
Facts and statistics
“Tips for Businesses” and “Tips for Homeowners”
Prevention strategies
Removal techniques
Graffiti education (curriculum supplements)
“Ten Things You Can Do”

50. Wait, There’s More …. At www.graffitihurts.org:
Organizing a graffiti cleanup
Creating a paint-brush mural
Working with police
Adopt-a-block
Working with the media
Graffiti Hurts® Award/Grant
Other resources:
National Council to Prevent Delinquency
No Graffiti Network, Inc.