This series of three articles appeared in the EBNews in December 2009, January, 2010, and February 2010, respectively.
Graffiti: What's the Problem?
That‘s the question being asked by a sub-committee of the Citizen-Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) convened by Police Chief James Craig. The Graffiti Subcommittee, chaired by Doug Fuss of Bull Feeney‘s, is looking for solutions that will help stamp out Portland‘s graffiti problem. But what is the problem? Isn‘t graffiti just a form of artistic expression?
Sometimes, sure. But not when it shows up unauthorized on private or public property. In those cases, even if someone finds it artistic, it is still vandalism. And what‘s more, once a building or an area gets tagged with one instance of graffiti, it is more likely to be tagged again.
Why? Because graffiti that is left unaddressed sends the message that it‘s okay and suggests the particular building or area where the graffiti has appeared is not being cared for. This encourages more vandalism and can even inspire traditionally law-abiding people to join in.
The concept that untended property can lead to crime and vandalism is part of what is commonly known as “Broken Windows Theory.” To further illustrate the idea, consider this excerpt from the 1982 Atlantic Monthly article that first conveyed the theory to mainstream audiences.
Stanford Psychologist Philip Zimbardo arranged to have an automobile without license plates parked with its hood up on a street in the Bronx and a comparable automobile on a street in Palo Alto, California. The car in the Bronx was attacked by vandals within ten minutes of its abandonment. The first to arrive were a family – father, mother, and young son – who removed the radiator and battery. Within 24 hours, virtually everything of value had been removed. Then random destruction began – windows were smashed, parts torn off, upholstery ripped. Children began to use the car as a playground. Most of the adult vandals‘ were well dressed, apparently clean-cut whites. The car in Palo Alto sat untouched for more than a week. Then Zimbardo smashed part of it with a sledge-hammer. Soon, passers-by were joining in. Within a few hours, the car had been turned upside down and utterly destroyed. Again, the “vandals” appeared to be primarily respectable whites.
Untended property becomes fair game for people out for fun or plunder, and even for people who ordinarily would not dream of doing such things.
That's why it's important to address graffiti right away. But how? Read on . . .
Help Stop Graffiti: Report and Remove
All right. So we‟ve established that while graffiti can be artistic, it is not, in fact, art when it appears unbidden on public or private property. It’s vandalism. And we’ve also established that vandalism begets vandalism. As stated in the article “Broken Windows,” by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, “untended property becomes fair game for people out for fun or plunder, and even for people who ordinarily would not dream of doing such things” (The Atlantic Monthly, March 1982, Volume 249, No. 3, pp 29-38.) But what should we do about it?
At present, a subcommittee of the Citizen-Police Advisory (C-PAB) is analyzing the problem of graffiti in Portland and working to come up with concrete steps the city, the police, and Portland’s citizens can take to eradicate this pervasive form of vandalism. In the mean time, when you spot graffiti – on your property, public property, or someone else’s property – there are three things you should do right away.
ONE: REPORT IT TO THE POLICE
It may seem silly since the vandals are probably long gone, but when graffiti is consistently reported to police, they can track the locations where it appears as well as the times when the vandalism seems to be taking place. Additionally, they can often link several instances of vandalism to one perpetrator due to similarities in the tags, which can also help them to find the perpetrators. But without citizens reporting vandalism, there’s little the police can do, so please – report graffiti when you see it by calling 874-8575. If the graffiti is not on your property, be prepared to give the location as well as a description of the graffiti.
TWO: REPORT IT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER
If the graffiti is not on your property, be sure to report it to the property owner. Sometimes people don’t notice graffiti if it’s on a side of their house or building they don’t normally pass by. (My neighbors, for instance, would see graffiti on northeast side of my house long before I would. I never walk past that side of my house, whereas they park next to it every day.) Also, some people own property in the neighborhood but live elsewhere and therefore might not be aware that any vandalism has occurred unless someone informs them. So let them know, and encourage them to clean it up as soon as the police are done examining it.
THREE: REMOVE IT
If the graffiti is on your property, you should remove it quickly. This, of course, is easier said than done, but the sooner graffiti is addressed, the less likely your property – or surrounding properties – will be targeted again. Graffiti vandals want their work to be seen. When you remove it quickly, you defeat their purpose and discourage repeat offenses.
Within the city of Portland, Learning Works, a community-based organization, operates the “Graffiti Busters” program which offers free graffiti removal. You can report graffiti to them using an online form. They paint over graffiti year round as weather permits, although graffiti removal from masonry can only be done in warmer weather, between May and October. To deal with graffiti on your own, you can employ one of the following removal methods suggested on the City of South Portland webpage:
1. Graffiti Remover;
2. Carburetor Cleaner;
3. Goof Off;
4. Rubbing Alcohol;
5. Damp sand with a rag (to remove fresh paint from metal);
6. Sandpaper (to remove dried paint from metal).
Additionally, the website for the City of Minneapolis, MN offers this advice for painting over graffiti:
It is best to clean graffiti as soon as possible so the paint doesn’t have time to absorb into the surface. It is worth it to keep paint or removal products on hand so that you can quickly paint over or remove the graffiti should it become necessary.
If a large portion of a property has been vandalized, it may be cheaper to simply repaint. This will also give you the opportunity to change the paint to glossy enamel, which will resist future graffiti attacks better than a flat finish. For added protection, an extra gallon of the same type of paint will help ensure a quick and painless perfect match if graffiti returns.
Before painting, try to clean the surface of any dirt or grease. Certain marker pens and indelible markers have the ability to absorb paint pigments. That’s what makes them permanent so use a special paint called a stain blocker. Also, if the base color is light and the graffiti a dark color, use a stain blocker first. This special type of paint prevents the darker paint from seeping through the fresh paint.
Oil base paint is tougher than latex. Latex is cheaper and easier to clean up. Though not recommended, oil base can be applied at below freezing temperatures if needed. Oil base takes longer to dry, but can be used if light rain threatens.
Once the new paint is on, you might consider using a sealer or protectorate. These types of products seal the small surface pores and prevent graffiti’s ability to adhere. Once sealed, the new graffiti is easier to remove with less work. Some protectorate systems sacrifice a small amount of the sealer and need to be reapplied after the graffiti is removed.
As a good insurance policy, buy some foam-type brushes. If graffiti reappears, use the foam brushes and the new paint will blend into the old with perfect results.
Of course, painting over graffiti is only one way of dealing with it. There are also many methods of removing graffiti from various surfaces, many of which are detailed on the Minneapolis, MN website. Hopefully, you won’t need to employ any of these techniques, but remember, if you do see graffiti, report it to the police, make the property owner aware of its presence, and then work to have it removed.
Graffiti Prevention: Stop it before it starts
Are you getting tired of graffiti yet? We sure are, which is why we want people to recognize it as vandalism and deal with it accordingly.
In Part I of this series (December), we discussed how one instance of vandalism, such as a broken window or graffiti, can lead to further deterioration and crime within a neighborhood. In Part II (January), we listed the steps to take when you spot graffiti as well as instructions for removing it. Now we want to offer a few suggestions for preventing graffiti in the first place.
First off, people are less likely to commit crimes such as vandalism in locations where they feel like they will be noticed. So, if you haven’t already, join your local Neighborhood Watch group and start learning to recognize and report suspicious behavior. Neighborhood Watch programs also help community members to get to know one another so that it’s easier to keep an eye on each others’ property and to know who lives in your neighborhood and who is just passing through.
Additionally, many neighborhood watch programs will provide you with what are referred to as “target hardening techniques” – things you can do to make your home a less inviting target for crime.
One such thing is to install a motion sensitive light that will turn on whenever someone enters your driveway or approaches your home. Keeping a porch light on at night can also be helpful in deterring crime, as can making sure your neighborhood’s street lights are operating properly. If one of your street lights is dim or out, report it online at public works.portlandmaine.gov/workord.asp or call 874-8493 (note the pole number if possible).
Another way to discourage crime and vandalism like graffiti is by keeping the appearance of your property clean and neat. Pick up litter, repair broken fencing, trim shrubs, pull weeds, etc. A well-maintained home is less likely to be vandal-ized than one that suggests apathy and neglect.
If you’re able, install fencing or plant shrubs, thorny plants, or vines to help by restrict access to your property and decrease the surfaces available for graffiti.
Finally, you can paint vulnerable surfaces with a special anti-graffiti paint to make removal easier or apply a “sacrificial layer” such as EuroGuardian.
Check with your local hardware or paint store to see what options they may have available.
