GRAFFITI VANDALISIM

Graffiti an Art or Vandalism

Graffiti an Art or Vandalism

Introduction

Vandalism is the willful or malicious destruction, injury, disfigurement, or defacement of any public or private property, real or personal, without the consent of the owner or person who has custody or control. It includes the cutting, tearing, breaking, marking, painting, drawing, or any other means of destruction against property. Generally, the attempt to commit vandalism is considered a crime, as is supplying the materials that may be used in the actual crime (e.g., aerosol cans for graffiti). The charge of vandalism may be either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the dollar amount of the damage inflicted (Weisel, 2006, pp. 55-65).

Graffiti vandalism is a blight that affects nearly every community across the State and Modesto is not immune to this crime. If left unattended, graffiti can negatively impact the quality of life of a neighborhood by attracting more crime, giving a misperception that the residents and business owners don't care, and increasing the fear of crime in the affected area (Mitchelhill & Ross, 2009, pp. 230-235).

Discussion

What is Graffiti?

Graffiti vandalism is a crime that can often be categorized into two different types. The first type is Gang Graffiti, which is used as a form of communication by gang members. It gives a written warning, a greeting, marks territory, and identifies the gang and its members in a neighborhood (McCorkle, 2010, pp. 962-63).

The more common type of graffiti Modesto has been experiencing recently is "Tagger" Graffiti. Graffiti vandals, also known as "taggers", use graffiti to gain publicity or notoriety for themselves and their tagging groups. Taggers also use graffiti to communicate, make challenges, and announce the presence of their group. Oftentimes they will use the initials or acronym of their group or the nickname (street name) which they are known by with their peers (Barker & Bridgeman, 1994, pp. 76-80).

Since graffiti vandals enjoy seeking attention with their peers, they are often selective as to where to commit their crimes. Graffiti vandals will usually select a location to vandalize based on how long the graffiti will stay up and how many people will see it, such as near schools or along major thoroughfares (Cohen, 1973, pp. 23-53).

Incidence and Trends

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, 291,575 persons were arrested for vandalism in the United States in 2007. Household surveys show that annually nearly 5 million American households experienced at least one incident of vandalism. Official statistics reveal that vandalism arrests declined sharply in the mid-1990s through 2001, when the number of arrests began to climb. However, fewer persons were arrested for vandalism in 2007 than a decade ago (Mitchelhill & Ross, 2009, pp. 230-235).

Offenders and Targets

The typical offender arrested for vandalism is a White male older than 18 years of age. Contrary to public opinion, most arrests for vandalism are committed by adults. Only one third of all vandalism arrests involve persons younger than 18 years of age. Males are more likely to be arrested for the offense, representing ...