Criminal Elements of Graffiti
The practice of graffiti is a criminal act in most cities and have a scale of consequences to the perpetrator ranging from misdemeanor fines to jail time. Regarding the criminal aspect of graffiti, Spicer (2005, p.23) states that “graffiti done without permission always produces a victim. However, the visual nature of this crime lures people into approving the action”. As graffiti remains an unground and illegal practice that appeals to those with high risk behaviour traits, association with others sharing these tendencies presents compelling opportunities to make other illegal and anti-social behaviour part of their regular lifestyle (Spicer, 2005). Many who engage in graffiti casually or with artistic influences get drawn into graffiti in a much more serious nature and escalate their lifestyle from primarily graffiti to other serious crimes such as theft, narcotics, weapons, assault, robbery and other illegal acts (Weisel, 2011). Martin (2003), through an Australian based graffiti study, states that of males engaging in graffiti 44% are classified as exhibiting extreme anti-social behavior, 29% with serious anti-social behavior, with only 1% demonstrating no anti-social behavior. Taylor (2012) states that juvenile graffiti is often a gateway crime that leads young offenders into lives immersed in more serious crimes. While investigating suspects of graffiti crimes, law enforcement often conduct surveillance and issue warrants discovering the suspect involved in a plethora of serious crimes that yield serious charges and penalties. In discussion of graffiti based in the Vancouver area, Sgt. Hawthorne of BC Transit Police explained that graffiti is a good indicator of other serious crime that law enforcement agencies can leverage as a starting point of investigation that often leads to criminal charges beyond graffiti. Pertaining to transportation and infrastructure security, Sgt. Hawthorne goes on to suggests that graffiti activity investigation can also serve as indicator of system vulnerabilities. Graffiti writers tend to be resourceful opportunists that are continually looking for vulnerabilities to allow them to tag in the most audacious locations that will provide the maximum exposure and the greatest recognition. Finding access to train stations, subway tunnels, rooftops, water reservoirs, and a host of other potentially sensitive areas are specializations of graffiti writers. In observing graffiti writer’s ability to access locations for painting is an indicator of possible systems vulnerabilities that could be exploited for much more sinister agendas. As a specialist in protection of transportation systems Sgt. Hawthorne has acknowledged the potential of high security and terrorist threats to some of the same locations that are accessed by graffiti writers, and that by following the patterns and locations of graffiti writers is able to recognize deficiencies and vulnerabilities in civic security infrastructure.