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What will the year 2017 bring in the form of nuisance crimes, such as vandalism and graffiti?

Nuisance Crimes in 2018

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What will the year 2018 bring in the form of nuisance crimes, such as vandalism and graffiti?  Where do these small but costly infractions fit in with the budget?

Policing is an important safety measure that ensures quality life for the citizens of every city.  Without policing, there is chaos.  Unfortunately, there are those who intimidate the weak and the defenseless, and without our police, there is a “Lord of the Flies” mentality.  In a civilized nation, we have come to expect safety when walking to the grocery store, when taking the kids to the park to play, or when walking  the dog around the block.  If we do not have police and laws, the freedoms we now enjoy will only be free in theory.

After the horrendous November 27, 2016 shooting at Bourbon Street, police are increasing their presence in the French Quarter.  Besides extra staffing , cameras have also been placed in strategic places.  The city is making it known that extra measures are being put in place.

With the police having to deal with these bigger issues, how will the problem of graffiti and vandalism be handled?  Will there be enough police to patrol the secluded areas around the city to stop the blight that brings down the quality of life, through unsightly markings and broken windows?

According to the Center for Evidence-Base Crime Policy, there have been evaluations for the last 20 years that focus on crime and disorder in “hot spots”.  Accordingly, focusing on a hot spot can include many approaches for a solution.  With the police being tasked with larger issues, the department will have to be creative with the resources available to them.  The evidence  to reduce the nuisance crimes, such as graffiti, vandalism and loitering seems to be very convincing.  Ridding the city of defacement either in the form of illegal drawings or the destruction of property will help with the overall policing in the area and should be considered in the budget.

 

 

Graffiti Girl

The Fight Against Blight – The Graffiti Problem

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Everyone knows the graffiti problem exists.  Graffiti is seen on the walls of stores, schools, parks, and public signs.  Some people believe graffiti is a form of Art, an expression of the mind.  And although at times, the pictures can be considered to be done by a talented person, it violates the communities who are forced to endure it.  It is a blight to our community.

When a tree or plant is infected with blight, it withers away and dies.  Just like the effects of a fungus or a disease of a plant, communities become sick and infected by the blight of graffiti vandals.

Graffiti vandals steal the public places and don’t care that it offends people, costs businesses money, or brings down the homeowners property value.  According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Office of Community Beautification spent more than seven million dollars a year on removing graffiti.  Seven Million can be used to help a lot of people.  Some would say, “leave the graffiti, it does not hurt anyone.” But the graffiti problem brings more crime.  This is one of the reasons graffiti brings down the property values, more crime. People don’t feel safe in an area with graffiti, because they know there is more crime.  Graffiti suggests less police activity or permissive police patrol.  Removing the Graffiti is important, but graffiti prevention would be better. Stopping the graffiti problem before it happens would be ideal.

Tagger

Graffiti Prevention Friend or Foe?

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Graffiti is sprayed at millions of locations every day. Graffiti comes out in different ways such as: gang graffiti, tagger graffiti, conventional graffiti, and ideological graffiti. Graffiti usually happens in urban environments on public and private property. In many cases, graffiti is seen as acceptable urban art, and not a problem. However, Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (POP Center) disagrees and says that graffiti is indeed a problem, and believes there needs to be methods on how to stop graffiti vandalism.  The reason graffiti prevention is not important for some is because the problem is not important enough.

Some people do not report graffiti or see a need to prevent it because they do not see it as “real crime” problem, or they believe the police know how to stop graffiti vandalism. The media has elevated and promoted graffiti as an “acceptable form of urban street art”. Famous graffiti artists like Banksy have developed huge recognition, and people love the ideological images he produces. Graffiti is not seen as a problem because they are not aware of the problem it produces.

A single or few incidents of graffiti may not seem as problems, but graffiti accumulates. An area that was sprayed with graffiti seems to attract more graffiti. The motives of the graffiti offenders vary, but all offenders do graffiti so others can see their message or art. Because graffiti offenders want recognition, graffiti spreads to more than one area like a virus or disease.

Graffiti is usually targeted on public property.  The national annual cost for monitoring, detecting, removing, and repairing graffiti damage is estimated to be as high as 15 to 18 billion dollars. A lot of the public sees graffiti as the government not doing its job to enforce laws and protect property. The POP center says that graffiti contributes to loss of ridership on public transit systems, and reduced sales because of decline in property value. Graffiti has a perception that is related to gang activity. In addition, graffiti in itself is not a problem in a vacuum, but other crimes and disorders are related to graffiti.

Graffiti for some may be an art, but for many others graffiti is a problem that negatively affects many neighborhoods and people.  Graffiti may be applauded, but the negative aspects of graffiti out way the good. The public should be aware of these so police and communities can have more of an impact in stopping graffiti vandalism. Graffiti prevention is much needed nationally and is a friend for all.