I thought I'd respond to some of the discussion about graffiti. I'm a Crime
Prevention Specialist with the Mpls. Police Dept. I have dealt with hundreds of
graffiti complaints over the years. Generally there are two types of graffiti, "tagger
graffiti" and "gang graffiti". They are very different. Taggers are responsible for
the huge pieces of graffiti we see on walls, on tops of high buildings, on the sides
of railroad cars, etc. These pieces are large, colorful and considered by their
creators and some others to be art. Taggers are typically older, white males (late
teens to late twenty's). Tagging has usually become a life style for them; a form of
protest, a way to defy authority,and the system, a form of political protest. We also
know that for many, the "thrill" of doing it keeps them involved in tagging. I've seen
evidence photo's of taggers rooms in there homes, where the walls have been completely
painted with their tags. Some even become addicted to the toxic chemicals in the spray
paint they use.
Gang graffiti is very different. It is simply a crude symbol spray painted or
written with permanent marker. It consists of letters, numbers, symbols (e.g. "Vacos
Locos", "VL" = Vice Lords, "Crips" "Purple Brothers",etc.). It is frequently done by
younger kids(pre-teens) who want to become affiliated with a gang. Typically these
kids come from poorer families and live in the "inner city". These gangs are
typically, but not exclusively made up of kids and adults from one ethnic or racial
group. This graffiti defines turf and is used to intimidate other gangs and residents
who live in the area. It's sole purpose is to create a climate of fear.
Police Depts. have in the past tried to prosecute those doing graffiti when
they can. It is nearly impossible to identify and prosecute those doing gang graffiti.
You literally have to catch them in the act. We have made attempts to prosecute
taggers.There are several people in Minneapolis and St. Paul who are recognized as
experts in tagger graffiti. Because the tags are so distinctive they can sometimes be
identified. and prosecuted. The problem has been that judges and others tend to see
tagging as a harmless crime, a frustrated artist at work, etc. Most of the taggers
have done many, many thousands of dollars worth of property damage. Burlington
Northern railroad police have told me that when a tagger paints over the numbers on
the side of a box car, forcing the railroad to take it out of service, it costs the
railroad a couple of thousand dollars to repaint the car before they can put it back
in service.
Jim made the comment about police barely being able to control the graffiti
problems. In reality police cant' control it at all. The only effective response is to
paint over the graffiti as quickly as possible.
Don Greeley
Crime Prevention Specialist
3rd Precinct CCP/SAFE
Minneapolis Police Dept.
217 So 3rd St.
Mpls. MN. 55401-2139
(612) 673-3482 - (612) 673-3563 (fax)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To report graffiti, possible housing code violations, etc
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/inspections
If you would like to receive weekly crime stats
for the Central Neighborhood address an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
'The first rule of holes: When you're in one, stop digging !'
> A response on graffiti: First, gangs are a big source of graffiti. Any
> campaign to control them has to involve graffiti control. And I'd like to
> see anyone say gang activity is a matter of esthetics. Second, graffiti is
> just another name for vandalism. So if you shrug off graffiti, you're
> shrugging off an attempt to control vandalism. Think about how vandalism
> affects quality of life. I know it made me buy a house when I didn't want
> to, just to escape the proximity of a lot of vandals that the police barely >
> could control. I don't want to live in a city that makes it safe for
> vandals.
>
> Jim Mork
> Cooper
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> "Only a LUNATIC would cut schools to buy more bombs".
>
> "We hold these truths to be self-evident....that governments are formed,
> deriving their just powers by the consent of the governed" Declaration of
> Independence
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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