Solving the problem of graffiti through crime prevention strategies

The Graffiti Alert Project is the first graffiti prevention program of its kind in Australia. It involves establishing contact with graffiti crews, utilising the services of community members in graffiti removal, the appointment of area supervisors to monitor incidence and repeat attacks, and the provision of legal venues for graffiti artists. A newsletter is distributed every t0 weeks and the Project is active in community education in schools and in the production of information packages. The Project is affiliated with the Gold Coast City Council (who supplies the removal materials) and with the local Police Community Liaison section.
This practical, community-based Project utilises the strategies of situational crime prevention, demonstrates the success of removing 'broken windows', has avoided an escalation of violence by pre-empting the formation of vigilante groups and has provided young people in the area with employment and venues for their artwork. Evaluation of the Graffiti Alert Project has shown that there has been little displacement, that there has been an increase in community activity and participation, that young people have been employed to work on legal · venues, and that the re-offence rate has dropped in targeted areas. This paper describes the history of the Graffiti Alert Project, details the results of the evaluation studies to date, and analyses the Project in light of situational and community crime prevention theory and methods.