Home Security Thwarts Graffiti Vandalism

One of the most costly expenses in a municipal budget is the fight against vandalism. According to statistics provided by the Bureau of Justice it represents 35% of the total types of property vandalism and is the most common. In 2006 a total of $17.5 million was spent by the cities of Phoenix, San Jose, Las Vegas and Chicago to clean up graffiti. Stepping up home security measures is an effective way to help prevent the incidents of graffiti vandalism. By demonstrating an attitude that you care about what happens to your home and neighborhood discourages graffiti artists from targeting the area where you live.

If you discover your home has been decorated with graffiti the best action you can take is to remove it as quickly as possible. Graffiti artists get a kick from the publicity that can follow an attack so don’t draw media attention to it. Call the local police department and let them know about it. Removing it right away typically results in a zero rate of recurrence.

Do your part to keep your neighborhood looking good. Organize the people on the street where you live to pick up trash, mend broken structures and fences and maintain the landscaping even on vacant properties. The LA police say vandals most frequently target areas that are unkempt and where it appears nobody cares about it. Keeping your own home in good repair, mowing your grass and trimming your trees shows that you care about the appearance of your property and you will not tolerate graffiti vandalism.

Ask your local police department if there are existing anti-graffiti laws you can help to enforce. Doing your part to ensure vandals are apprehended is a strong deterrent to the graffiti culture as a whole. The top reason given by these vandals after being arrested when asked what would get them to stop committing the crime was their fear of getting caught. Installing home security video surveillance cameras is another highly effective deterrent. Although graffiti artists enjoy the publicity from the destruction they create, they are threatened by the idea of being identified and charged with the crime.