Graffiti

SIGNIFICANCE: There is considerable disagreement about the damage to society caused by graffiti. Some argue that graffiti is simply a form of vandalism whose appearance erodes public perception of an area in a manner similar to that of abandoned buildings, outward prostitution, drug use, and other incivilities. Others contend that many forms of graffiti can be classified as significant pieces of artwork and add to the culture of an area.

Graffiti is drawing, writing, or painting on a public surface without permission of the owner of the object or surface. Graffiti has become common in nearly all major urban areas throughout the world. Although many consider it vandalism, the creation of graffiti is a complex phenomenon that is difficult to encompass with one simple label. There are noticeable differences not only among the different groups or people who create graffiti but also in their artistic abilities and the motives behind their graffiti.

Graffiti’s existence may parallel the origins of human existence, as cave drawings and paintings can be traced back to the earliest known communication between humans. This provides evidence for the historical nature of public self-expression through drawing, writing, and painting and suggests that graffiti is a more deeply rooted movement than the mere rebellious destruction of property. Indeed, the use of caves, walls, or other surfaces to describe political ideology and to identify boundaries of territory seems to be a natural part of human existence.

Modern graffiti can be traced to urban areas in the northeastern United States. During the 1960s and 1970s, graffiti became a popular method by which youth living in urban areas like Philadelphia and New York left their marks or identification around their neighborhoods. This process of leaving one’s signature or initials in as many places as possible quickly became known as “tagging.” Tagging eventually became a competition between individuals and gangs, and the sophistication of the tags grew with the competition.

Graffiti tags have caused graffiti to develop a negative stereotype with many today, and they are often viewed as senseless vandalism and a sign of urban decay. Some criminological theories have depicted graffiti as incivilities that increase the amount of crime in an area as well as the perception of crime. Accordingly, some argue that graffiti signifies a competition for territory between gangs, vandalism created by rebellious and misguided youth, and an overall breakdown in the values and organization of the community. Other times, graffiti has been used to send targeted hate messages, such as defacing statues or places of worship.

Graffiti as Art

Other sociologists contend that some graffiti has artistic value and actually adds to the cultural backdrop of a community. Accordingly, much of the graffiti in an area represents a yardstick of artistic acceptance and ability in the community and a tolerance of the diversity and free speech within. Although graffiti may be considered a sign of urban decay by some, it can also be seen as an extension of the artistic community and a complex device through which nonconventional artists speak to one another. Many graffiti artists put great care and skill into their work, and some have gained acclaim in the mainstream art world, from Jean-Michel Basquiat in the 1970s and 1980s to Banksy in the early twenty-first century. Banksy's works are so prized that some have sold for millions of dollars at auction. Whether it is a political statement, an artistic message, or some other form of communication, many argue that graffiti should have a welcomed and natural place in society.

The contradicting views surrounding graffiti are understandable, considering the diverse nature of graffiti itself. Although many serious artists do create graffiti, particularly the multicolored pieces by hip-hop artists, there are undoubtedly many whose markings have less artistic value and are performed with an intention to destroy property. Moreover, the surfaces on which graffiti is placed differ greatly, and all present different challenges. Graffiti is often found on buildings, billboards, subway cars, and subway station walls. Graffiti artists have even targeted trains that travel to other cities and states in an attempt to extend their messages beyond their local communities.

Responses to graffiti have depended largely on the type of graffiti and the policymakers’ perspectives on graffiti. Some communities have treated graffiti as a vandalism or crime problem and have relied solely on traditional law-enforcement strategies. Popular law-enforcement methods include greater numbers of real and simulated patrols, increased lighting, and surveillance cameras in the areas of concern. Along with increasing the certainty of capture for undertaking graffiti, increases in the severity of sentences for those apprehended are common.

Graffiti Removal

Graffiti removal procedures are critical to any graffiti reduction plan. Because most removal chemicals have difficulty avoiding a “ghosting effect” whereby the old image is still slightly visible after removal, more focus is being placed on the production of paints that are easy to remove. In addition, antigraffiti surfaces are becoming more popular in areas where graffiti is a known problem. These surfaces often employ special paints on which paint used to create graffiti has difficulty sticking.

Finally, because police and removal efforts often fail to decrease graffiti, some communities work with graffiti artists in an attempt to strike a middle ground. A number of communities provide areas for legal graffiti in a manner similar to “tolerance zones” for drug use in some European countries. The rationale is that the respect and attention shown toward the work of graffiti artists will result in a mutual benefit to both the artists and the community. Ideally, the artists will enjoy the attention to their work and will, in turn, place their art in areas that are less destructive to the property and natural beauty of the community.

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