Anti–Graffiti is Popular Too

I love graffiti but realise that it's not always attractive or appropriate so thought I'd balance things out in my diatribe about street and building art in this blog and provide some information on graffiti prevention and removal.

This appears to be big business these days with a few operators who specialise in graffiti removal and other related building clean-up services.

There's many options for removing graffiti but Tim Ritchie at Graffiti Clean tells me the latest buzz is CPED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design).  CPED is a multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behavior through environmental design and relies on the ability to influence offenders before activity.  The key components to CPED include.

Natural Surveillance to increase the threat of apprehension by taking steps to increase the perception that people can be seen by designing the placement of physical features, activities and people in such a way as to maximize visibility and foster positive social interaction among legitimate users of private and public space. Natural surveillance measures can be complemented by mechanical and organizational measures like camera monitoring.

Natural Access Control to limit the opportunity for crime by taking steps to clearly differentiate between public space and private space. By selectively placing entrances and exits, fencing, lighting and landscape to limit access or control flow, natural access control occurs.  Natural access control is used to complement mechanical and operational access control measures.

Territorial Reinforcement promotes social control through increased definition of space and improved proprietary concern. An environment designed to clearly delineate private space by using buildings, fences, pavement, signs, lighting and landscape to express ownership and define public, semi-public and private space, results in natural territorial reinforcement. Additionally, these objectives can be achieved by assignment of space to designated users in previously unassigned locations.

Maintenance is an expression of ownership of property. Deterioration suggests less control and a greater tolerance of disorder. The Broken Windows Theory is a valuable tool in understanding the importance of maintenance in deterring crime. Broken Windows theory proponents support a zero tolerance approach to property maintenance, observing that the presence of a broken window will entice vandals to break more windows in the vicinity.

Activity Support increases the use of a built environment for safe activities with the intent of increasing the risk of detection of criminal and undesirable activities. Natural surveillance by the intended users is casual and there is no specific plan for people to watch out for criminal activity but it helps.

Funnily enough I like all this theory about urban environments even though it may stop some great graffiti.

And, thanks Tim and Graffiti Clean for the information.

Francesco ...