Graffiti Origins

This is a description of how the influence of graffiti and vandalism impacts the urban landscape, social well being and community engagement in modern cities.

Graffiti has been a part of human societies since our earliest times. Since the beginning graffiti has evolved from cave drawings to the defacement of properties that occurs in most cities today. Even though graffiti is illegal in most cities, it has continued to grow exponentially in the past decades. Because of this growth, graffiti now costs the United States  between 13-15 billion each year. This is without even considering the social impact to communities, residents, businesses, and youth in the graffiti subculture. The presence of graffiti instills perceptions of criminality and lack of safety. For communities, this causes disengagement by its members who socially retreat from the perceived threat.

Visual appearance of our surroundings effects the way in which people behave, act and interact. For communities that are inclusive, engaged and have positive growth, it is vital for  environments to foster perceptions of safety, order and positive social structure. Visual distress in the form of litter, vandalism, graffiti and street level crime is detrimental to positive communities. It is essential for the building of strong communities where people are invested in contributing to strengthening their neighborhoods.