Graffiti
Whether you think that graffiti is art or a blight on the urban landscape, it undoubtedly impacts on our parks and green spaces across the UK. A great deal has been written and documented about reducing the risk of graffiti occurring and how to prevent it altogether, but how much of this is actually being done?
This 'how to' guide identifies the types of graffiti that exists and explains proactive ways in which to tackle the problem.
Some of the information contained in this article is drawn from research on issues of park quality and antisocial behaviour carried out by GreenSpace on behalf of CABE Space. CABE Space is currently developing a policy paper and a good practice guide based on the research. For further information regarding these publications, please email enquiries@cabespace.org.uk
What is graffiti?
In its most simple form, graffiti describes drawings, patterns, scribbles or messages, painted, written or carved on walls and other surfaces. Graffiti is apparent in a great deal of our parks and open spaces and often results in further incidents of graffiti, other forms of antisocial behaviour, and can contribute towards the green space entering a spiral of decline.
Types of graffiti
To tackle graffiti successfully, you must understand the types and forms that exist. Some of the common types include:
- Gang graffiti, often used by local gangs to mark their territory;
- Tagger graffiti, ranging from high volume simple hits to complex designs;
- Conventional graffiti, often isolated or spontaneous acts of 'youthful exuberance'; and
- Ideological graffiti, such as political or hate graffiti.
Early identification and removal of graffiti within parks has shown to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. This response directly addresses the motives of many offenders by reaching the notoriety associated with graffiti's visibility.
Therefore identifying, monitoring and removing graffiti becomes paramount to reducing and ultimately preventing this source of antisocial behaviour from occurring. Detecting graffiti and removing graffiti as quickly and efficiently as possible is vital and can be done by the park staff, volunteers and even park visitors. Monitoring can also play a vital role in combating futures instances. Some parks have even turned to technology, using databases to identify and track repeat local offenders.
Removing graffiti
Removing graffiti can be a time-consuming activity for park staff and it is therefore important to identify the correct method when doing so. The most common methods include:
1. Painting over the graffiti
Painting over graffiti is a common and relatively cheap way of removing it. Although paint-overs can be expensive if reoccurring, they require no technical knowledge or skill, which enable visitors and volunteers to carry out the work on behalf of the park or green space.
2. Removing graffiti chemically
There are various chemical products which are available to remove graffiti from a multitude of surfaces, but care should be taken when choosing one.
3. Replacing signs, materials and other items vandalized
Replacement is appropriate for materials which graffiti cannot be painted over, chemically removed or cleaned. This could provide the prefect opportunity to use materials which prevent and minimise graffiti from occurring.
Recruiting the manpower to tackle such methods may be difficult. However, cleanup squads have been developed in a variety of parks and open spaces throughout the UK. These teams often consist of park volunteers, friends groups, employees and well-known offenders.
Being proactive
Being proactive is the key to reducing the amount of graffiti which occurs in your park or green space. There are a number of simple techniques and methods, which can easily be adopted to reduce the occurrence of graffiti.
These methods include:
1. Increasing natural observation of graffiti -prone locations
The likelihood of detecting offenders is dramatically increased by installing, maintaining or updating an adequate lighting system. Other ways include designing such elements as paths and park buildings within view of nearby residences and entrances.
2. Increasing formal observation of graffiti prone locations
Observation of graffiti-prone locations can be improved by the use of police, staff, volunteers, friends groups and the general public.
3. Increasing security
Formal observation of graffiti-prone locations can be carried out via electronic methods such as CCTV, which will also reduce the risk or crime and make users feel safer whilst visiting the park.
4. Conducting publicity campaigns
Publicity campaigns can be successful if combined with other strategies. Publicise any activities which you have undertaken, which could include the introduction of a cleanup programme, giving ownership to residents or the creation of a new graffiti free area. Promoting these activities can be achieved by a number of marketing activities such as a press release, flyer, and poster or by using your website.
5. Designing new areas with vandal proof materials
Graffiti offenders can be thwarted by vandal proofing vulnerable surfaces in valuable areas, a process that often involves modifying textures. These surfaces are easier to clean, difficult to write on, or both. Many new designs include the use of climbing plants to cover areas and surface which are prone to vandalism.
6. Controlling access to graffiti prone locations
Controlling access to graffiti prone locations physically prevents offenders from entering those areas of the park or green space.
Serious problems with graffiti in Mile End Park were tackled by first removing surfaces which were prone to graffiti, replacing high, enclosed walls with lower iron railing fences and improving sight lines. Target-hardening methods were also employed, with new information sign which marked entrances to the park and are coated with a paint that allows all graffiti to be removed with only soap and water. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets also introduced a graffiti wall under the main railway arch in the south end of the park. This was created in 2003 with 150 corporate and community volunteers and has proven to be popular, with generally good quality 'artistic' graffiti, and none on the surrounding bridge. There is now minimal graffiti in the park as a whole.
This 'how to' guide identifies the types of graffiti that exists and explains proactive ways in which to tackle the problem.
Some of the information contained in this article is drawn from research on issues of park quality and antisocial behaviour carried out by GreenSpace on behalf of CABE Space. CABE Space is currently developing a policy paper and a good practice guide based on the research. For further information regarding these publications, please email enquiries@cabespace.org.uk
What is graffiti?
In its most simple form, graffiti describes drawings, patterns, scribbles or messages, painted, written or carved on walls and other surfaces. Graffiti is apparent in a great deal of our parks and open spaces and often results in further incidents of graffiti, other forms of antisocial behaviour, and can contribute towards the green space entering a spiral of decline.
Types of graffiti
To tackle graffiti successfully, you must understand the types and forms that exist. Some of the common types include:
- Gang graffiti, often used by local gangs to mark their territory;
- Tagger graffiti, ranging from high volume simple hits to complex designs;
- Conventional graffiti, often isolated or spontaneous acts of 'youthful exuberance'; and
- Ideological graffiti, such as political or hate graffiti.
Responding to the problem
Reducing the risk of graffitiEarly identification and removal of graffiti within parks has shown to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. This response directly addresses the motives of many offenders by reaching the notoriety associated with graffiti's visibility.
Therefore identifying, monitoring and removing graffiti becomes paramount to reducing and ultimately preventing this source of antisocial behaviour from occurring. Detecting graffiti and removing graffiti as quickly and efficiently as possible is vital and can be done by the park staff, volunteers and even park visitors. Monitoring can also play a vital role in combating futures instances. Some parks have even turned to technology, using databases to identify and track repeat local offenders.
Removing graffiti
Removing graffiti can be a time-consuming activity for park staff and it is therefore important to identify the correct method when doing so. The most common methods include:
1. Painting over the graffiti
Painting over graffiti is a common and relatively cheap way of removing it. Although paint-overs can be expensive if reoccurring, they require no technical knowledge or skill, which enable visitors and volunteers to carry out the work on behalf of the park or green space.
2. Removing graffiti chemically
There are various chemical products which are available to remove graffiti from a multitude of surfaces, but care should be taken when choosing one.
3. Replacing signs, materials and other items vandalized
Replacement is appropriate for materials which graffiti cannot be painted over, chemically removed or cleaned. This could provide the prefect opportunity to use materials which prevent and minimise graffiti from occurring.
Recruiting the manpower to tackle such methods may be difficult. However, cleanup squads have been developed in a variety of parks and open spaces throughout the UK. These teams often consist of park volunteers, friends groups, employees and well-known offenders.
Being proactive
Being proactive is the key to reducing the amount of graffiti which occurs in your park or green space. There are a number of simple techniques and methods, which can easily be adopted to reduce the occurrence of graffiti.
These methods include:
1. Increasing natural observation of graffiti -prone locations
The likelihood of detecting offenders is dramatically increased by installing, maintaining or updating an adequate lighting system. Other ways include designing such elements as paths and park buildings within view of nearby residences and entrances.
2. Increasing formal observation of graffiti prone locations
Observation of graffiti-prone locations can be improved by the use of police, staff, volunteers, friends groups and the general public.
3. Increasing security
Formal observation of graffiti-prone locations can be carried out via electronic methods such as CCTV, which will also reduce the risk or crime and make users feel safer whilst visiting the park.
4. Conducting publicity campaigns
Publicity campaigns can be successful if combined with other strategies. Publicise any activities which you have undertaken, which could include the introduction of a cleanup programme, giving ownership to residents or the creation of a new graffiti free area. Promoting these activities can be achieved by a number of marketing activities such as a press release, flyer, and poster or by using your website.
5. Designing new areas with vandal proof materials
Graffiti offenders can be thwarted by vandal proofing vulnerable surfaces in valuable areas, a process that often involves modifying textures. These surfaces are easier to clean, difficult to write on, or both. Many new designs include the use of climbing plants to cover areas and surface which are prone to vandalism.
6. Controlling access to graffiti prone locations
Controlling access to graffiti prone locations physically prevents offenders from entering those areas of the park or green space.
EXAMPLE
Mile End ParkSerious problems with graffiti in Mile End Park were tackled by first removing surfaces which were prone to graffiti, replacing high, enclosed walls with lower iron railing fences and improving sight lines. Target-hardening methods were also employed, with new information sign which marked entrances to the park and are coated with a paint that allows all graffiti to be removed with only soap and water. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets also introduced a graffiti wall under the main railway arch in the south end of the park. This was created in 2003 with 150 corporate and community volunteers and has proven to be popular, with generally good quality 'artistic' graffiti, and none on the surrounding bridge. There is now minimal graffiti in the park as a whole.