Why Is Graffiti A Problem
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- 31-10-2022
Why is graffiti a problem? Many people associate graffiti with criminal activity and consider it unsightly. Find out how graffiti can have a negative effect on a community.
What is graffiti?
Graffiti refers to the act of defacing property with symbols, graphics, and writing. For the purposes of this article, we have decided to define graffiti as the following: the defacing of other people's property without their consent. Within this context, it is easy to see why graffiti is illegal. Here in the United Kingdom, the issue of graffiti is a persistent problem that can lead to a variety of different penalty types.
One of the issues with graffiti is that it is not a simple problem that can easily be stamped out. There are many different forms of graffiti, and this is exactly why, as a phenomenon, it is so hard to manage. All the different types of graffiti have their own profiles, which means completely different groups of people create them.
One of these graffiti types is hip-hop graffiti. This form of graffiti can be characterised by its mix of "tagging" and mural paintings. The form originated in the United States and is generally considered to be the most common type. The reason for it being so common is that tagging, which is the writing of a name on surfaces, is the most visible form that graffiti can come in.
Graffiti as an issue
There are various different reasons why graffiti has become so much of a major issue in the world of public concern:
Graffiti is considered by the majority of sectors in the community to be rather unsightly, as well as representing a threat to the safety of a community and quality of life
It is one of the most visible types of crime and disorderly behaviour that can occur within a community. This means that graffiti can be seen as a visible sign of social decline, antisocial behaviour, and unruliness among young people.
Graffiti has a negative impact on entire communities, not just an impact on the person who owns the property that has been targeted.
Graffiti can potentially have a large impact on the long-term activity of a business, as well as any continued investment of the private sector within areas that are heavily affected.
In some cases, graffiti can be linked, sometimes incorrectly, to other forms of crime and rising levels of criminal behaviour. It can also be linked with dangerous youth gangs.
In communities where graffiti is common, it can contribute to a growing sense of fear within the members of that community. In many ways, graffiti undermines the sense of community safety as they clearly show that public spaces and private property are not being respected or cared for in any way.
Graffiti is bad for business.
Graffiti can be seen absolutely everywhere. This includes shopping centres, on the walls of commercial businesses, outside healthcare facilities, factories, and more. In the UK alone, it is estimated that it costs over £1 billion per year to clean up the mess created through graffiti. Although many people seem to simply ignore this fact, the illegal defacing of walls and surfaces is a form of an offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971.
The word graffiti is taken from the Greek word "graphien", which essentially means to write. Graffiti can be created through various tools, including acid etching, aerosol paint, marker pens, and more. In all cities seeing graffiti is very common. The defacing damages the appearance of properties and drains the resources that could be put to use elsewhere.
The removal of graffiti on a large scale can be costly. In a report created by the British Transport Police, it was stated that it costs the London Underground around £10 million per annum to replace all of the glass that has been etched in the name of graffiti. There is also an additional cost of around £2.5 in order to clear up the rest of the mess that graffiti causes.
Graffiti can not always be simply washed away; in many cases, it will cause damage to surfaces that are decorative or delicate. Areas with a lot of graffiti can begin to feel run down and create an overall threatening feeling. This can then deter customers from coming to the area. Some graffiti can actually be very offensive, including language considered to be threatening to groups or individuals.
In extreme cases, the graffiti can even be racially abusive. There is no responsibility for local authorities to clean up the mess of graffiti on private properties. This includes business premises. But the local authorities will try, when possible, to work alongside the community to prevent graffiti.
Ways Graffiti Vandals Damage Your Community
Businesses are driven away. Graffiti is often associated with a level of decline in the area, which can be indicative of gangs and crime. Customers no longer feel safe shopping in the area, so this means business owners lose out on sales.
Eroding the community. The negative perceptions of graffiti can lead to the value of properties completely plummeting. An area filled with graffiti can show that the community has lost control and that crimes such as graffiti are rising.
Bad for the environment. The aerosol spray paints that are often associated with graffiti let out volatile organic compounds that can contribute to dangerous ozone levels. Many of the substances used in order to remove the graffiti paints will also emit similar harmful compounds.
How graffiti can harm your community
The bad reputation associated with graffiti can hear your community in a variety of different ways. Over time graffiti has developed a horrible reputation with hate crime and gang culture. In some communities, just the presence and appearance of graffiti are enough to bring on the feeling of fear in the residents. As a way to show power and control, some gangs will turn to intimidation tactics, leading to stressful situations for innocent resident bystanders.
The appearance of graffiti can have an impact on local businesses. A graffiti attack on the storefront of a business can be costly to remove and will need to be dealt with as quickly as possible in order to avoid further consequences taking place.A building that is covered in graffiti can easily deter away potential customers from entering the business, whether it be a restaurant or shop. In the short term, this may not seem like a major concern, but over time a lot of sales can be lost through this.
In addition to this, when buildings and public spaces are defaced, there will be an inevitable devaluation of property in the area. Once an area is considered to be an undesirable place to live in the minds of the public, it is extremely difficult to get that public image back up and have the area recover.
If you do not want your community to enter a downward slope, then all graffiti incidents need to be dealt with as quickly as possible in a professional manner.
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