To deter illegal graffiti there are a number of strategies that property owners, communities and cities can employ. There are opportunities to promote deterrence through environmental design and CPTED principles.Through building design, foliage placement, and specialized lighting, environments are able to to elevate the risk levels for potential vandals while diminishing rewards. The use of technology is another proven method of deterrence, with motion, infrared, and thermal cameras available that substantially elevate the risk to the perpetrator. One of the most recent and successful methods is the use of specialized anti-graffiti high frequency lighting systems. In the case of this specialized lighting, both the risk and reward are being altered.
Prevention: Is it Possible?
There are graffiti prevention initiatives that are highly successful in reducing and eliminating graffiti. Primarily, the reduction of reward is paramount. Burnaby has implemented a policy of mandatory and immediate removal of all graffiti on public and private property through a municipal bylaw that specifically address graffiti. Utilizing this strategy, property owners must remove graffiti promptly, resulting in minimal gratification and reward for the graffiti vandal (Weisel, 2011). In this scenario the risk has remained the same, while the reward for spending the night out tagging has been all but eliminated, deterring the tagger from returning to this area and possibly evaluating the value of creating graffiti.
Graffiti Prevention Using Risk and Reward
Success in graffiti prevention hinges on tilting the risk and reward relationship in favor of the community. By increasing the risk to the vandal the likelihood of graffiti is significantly lowered. Likewise, by reducing or removing the reward, the motivation for a tagger is eliminated and that location, neighborhood or community will no longer be a prime target for graffiti.
Some of the best methods in leveraging the risk vs reward ratio to support prevention are:
Increasing risk through:
- Adding additional lighting (specialized graffiti/property crime prevention lighting)
- Removing easy access points to high visibility surfaces (rooftops, awnings, etc.)
- Restricting property access and escape routes
- Removing visual obstructions (hiding spots)
- Installing cameras or dummy cameras
- Having and publishing precedence of graffiti prosecution
- Implementing penalties for graffiti infractions
Reducing reward through:
- Removing graffiti immediately (24-48 hrs.)
- Obscuring the graffiti surface with living vegetation
- Applying decorative graphics (vinyl wraps, murals, etc.)
- Not publicizing graffiti
- Not posting pictures of graffiti online