NCJ Number
137433
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 61 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1992) Pages: 1-4
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A new police initiative in Los Angeles called the Graffiti Abatement and Investigation Program mixes traditional law enforcement techniques with community relations, neighborhood beautification, and youth counseling to alleviate the graffiti problem associated with an increased presence of gangs in the city.
Abstract
The program was initiated in part because community groups found it difficult to remove graffiti in certain neighborhoods. For example, in Los Angeles, several drive-by shootings occurred when citizen groups attempted to remove graffiti. In addition, a phenomenon known as "tagging" appears regularly in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. Tagging involves the scrawling of names or symbols on area walls. Many taggers hope to join gangs, and the more times their names appear in different locations, the greater publicity they receive. Under the Graffiti Abatement and Investigation Program, juvenile offenders referred to the program paint over graffiti found in many inner city neighborhoods. Paintouts, which usually occur on weekends or during other nonschool hours, target specific neighborhoods in order to make the most efficient use of community service worker hours. City agencies and private businesses donate paint for the program, while other community groups donate funds to buy paint. All offenders in the program receive counseling from police officers and professional counselors. The extent of graffiti in the northeast area of Los Angeles has diminished greatly since the program started. 2 endnotes