Graffiti is problem for all
By: North County Times | ∞
Our view: Cities, law enforcers, and especially community must work together to wipe out tagging
Of the armies laying siege to North County's good fortunes, perhaps none is so ubiquitous as the purveyors of graffiti that stains public and private property in every local community. These aesthetic assaults should be recognized for the true threats to community stability they are. What's more, every segment of the community shares responsibility for putting a cap on the aerosol cans and markers defacing North County's future.
Look around and you'll see them, the mostly indecipherable messages scrawled on fences, sidewalks, storefronts and billboards across every North County community. While their meanings may escape most of us, graffiti "tags" communicate clearly enough to their intended audiences ---- other taggers and rival gangs, in most cases. Whether their intent is criminal or just merely obscene, whether they signify frustrated artists or intimidating gangs, they all say the same thing: "This neighborhood is ours, not yours. The fate of this street where you live/work/shop is not in your hands, it's in ours."
And make no mistake, graffiti is a real threat to one of North County's most valuable assets ---- our lofty property values.
A 2003 study by a London School of Economics lecturer found that residential property values in London dropped 1.6 percent for every 10 reported incidents of graffiti. Other studies have shown commercial property values drop in value by about $10,000 for every $1,000 their owners spend each year to wipe out graffiti. The unprecedented turnaround in all kinds of crime experienced by New York City in the 1990s is often largely attributed to that city's leaders employing the "broken windows" approach to crimefighting, which began with the removal from service and quick cleanup of New York's graffiti-covered subway cars.
Across North County, our eyes tell us graffiti is on the rise. Some can be attributed to new gangs trying to stake out turf of their own; if you see tags crossed out and replaced with another gang's symbols, you might have come across a contested border. Witness the skyrocketing number of calls to Escondido's graffiti hotline over the last two years: from 118 in January 2004 to 341 in January 2005 to 612 last January.
North County Times reporter Jo Moreland surveyed the myriad ways in which North County cities are trying to address the graffiti epidemic. Many cities are gathering forces in task forces, many are beefing up their police investigations, and many are sending more public workers out into North County streets to wipe out graffiti. We applaud all these efforts.
But they're not enough, not by a long shot, without your help. Of course, local governments are responsible for keeping public property free from graffiti, but as the keepers of public safety, they also have a responsibility to protect private properties from the graffiti menace, as well. To stop graffiti, it's not enough to wipe off what's been written; we must catch the criminals and prevent them from doing it again.
That's where you come in. Taggers can't thrive in communities that won't tolerate them. The more residents realize that their homes and communities are threatened by the tagging and how long graffiti tags are allowed to linger, the more residents will become part of the solution. Listed below are the numbers you can call to report graffiti incidents after they happen; these numbers should result in someone from your local government coming to remove the graffiti. But if you see a crime in progress, call 911.
Graffiti removal phone numbers:
Carlsbad ---- (760) 434-6700
Del Mar ---- (858) 755-3294
Encinitas ---- (760) 633-2751
Fallbrook ---- (760) 728-3911
Escondido ---- (760) 839-4668
Oceanside ---- (760) 435-4200
Poway ---- Public property, (858) 668-4700; private property, (858) 668-4668
San Diego ---- (619) 525-8522
San Marcos ---- (760) 591-9100
Solana Beach ---- (858) 720-2507
Unincorporated San Diego County ---- (877) 684-8000
Vista ---- (760) 726-1340, Ext. 1611
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Ron wrote on Mar 21, 2006 8:58 AM:It's stealing, pure and simple. Anyone who tags some elses property should be treated as a thief. And if it's a youth doing it, why not get their parents out there, right along side of them, cleaning it up? It might just change a few minds about keeping track of their kids. If it's a gang member, treat it like a 3rd strike, and send em back to jail. Why should they be treated kindly because it's a misdemeandor? These guys are career crimmals, and deserve nothing less than spending as much time behind bars as we can give them. It is senseless.
fred wrote on Mar 21, 2006 9:09 AM:Graffiti doesn't qualify as a 911 call ,sorry. Grab your new digital camera or video and get some pictures for evidence, then wait {pray] for the monies that you'll never see.
lp wrote on Mar 21, 2006 12:14 PM:Tagging is usually a form of graffiti placed strategically by gangbangers to announce their presence or mark their territory. No way to stop that. The only way is to curb gang activity as a whole and it can start at your local schools.
Pam wrote on Mar 21, 2006 12:21 PM:Ron is "RIGHT ON" Get those little punks parents do help them with the clean up. Make them pay every penny of the expense for the clean up as well. Why should we as tax payers clean up the messes that these gang bangers are making and pay for it on top it.
JukeB[]x wrote on Mar 21, 2006 3:19 PM:If you're going to speak out on graffiti, EDUCATE yourself on graffiti. Most people seem to think that graffiti is only a gang thing...it's not. Graffiti is a complex & intricate culture in it's own right. The city would do well to become informed on WHY graffiti artists do what they do and seek ways to supplement the illegal graffiti with legal programs that satisfy the same needs. Cracking down on the offenders isn't going to stop it...I can promise.
Linda N. wrote on Mar 21, 2006 5:45 PM:Posted 3/21 5:40pm. To Mr. Juke: since when does anyone's artistic urges trump private property rights? This is not the Middle Ages or a 3rd-world country. No one is so poor or so desperate for art materials that they must vandalize public and private spaces with acid, ink, or paint. Oh wait, do you mean that graffiti "artists" can't get public attention for their pathetic talent any other way? I've long advocated that news papers and officials stop calling this act of vandalism by the child's-game-label: "tagging" and start calling it what it is: "loser language" or "cockroach track".
Jim wrote on Mar 22, 2006 8:41 AM:The city should be devoting this time & energy to stop sex offenders instead of wasting it on graffiti that continue to happen anyway. What a waste of taxpayers money!
David wrote on Mar 22, 2006 9:20 AM:The graffiti vandals struck again......something has to be done. They spraypainted giant penises on my business. How can I run a business with giant penises on it? What a disgusting act for someone to commit. What is this world coming to? It needs to stop.
You've got to be kidding wrote on Mar 22, 2006 11:34 PM:To David, I'm sorry for the vandalism of your property but it is the first time the graffiti problem has made me laugh. Two thoughts: you could change your business or sell it to F Street. Just kidding. Isn't there an art gallery on Grand that would like to display these kids' work?
rem-rusty wrote on Mar 26, 2006 10:28 AM:jukebox and i p bascily some it up,the rest of you haven't a clue. don't hate. educate
Tired of Graffiti wrote on Mar 28, 2006 9:22 PM:I don't understand why painting graffiti on residential fences and elsewhere is a misdemeanor. It is anti-social criminal activity and is done for the most part by adult gang members to communicate with rival gangs. It demeans the entire community and incites fear in the residents who have to live with it in their neighborhoods. Prosecuting the criminals that are painting graffiti and and calling your local graffiti hotline to remove it as quickly as possible is the best way to stop this problem.
graff writer supreme wrote on Apr 14, 2006 6:31 PM:Graffiti is art, lose the gang stigma- Look at www.artcrimes.com and see that there is in fact talent involved-Get a community wall for the real artists to paint and lock the gangbangers up- they cant write anyways...Its the art of todays hip-hop culture- and its not going away.. Get used to it..
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