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Graffiti Frequently-Asked Questions

Answers

How do I report graffiti?

Graffiti may be reported in one of three ways:
1. By web form. Fill out our web form and submit the report, including detailed description of the location.
2. By phone. Call the Graffiti Hotline or refer to our "Do Not Remove from These Properties!" directory and contact the appropriate agency. Or use our In-House Code Enforcement phone number 808-5948 to report graffiti on property that you removed.
3. By mail. Send us photo documentation of the graffiti with a detailed description of the location, date it occurred, and contact information to: Sacramento Police Department, Attn: Graffiti Unit, 5770 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95822.
See more information on how to Record - Report - Remove graffiti.

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How can I prevent graffiti?

What can be done? Many areas have in place prevention measures including the aggressive/timely removal of graffiti and policies banning gang symbols. What can you do personally? There are several ways you can help:

Who will remove the graffiti?

According to the city's ordinance, the owner of the property is responsible for removing graffiti on their property. If the owner does not remove it in a timely matter, the city will remove it and a fee is generated for abatement services. Ultimately, it is the owner's responsibility for maintaining their property and it's best that they remove it immediately. The city will provide owners with paint with which to remove the graffiti themselves, see Core Services. The fees for service to remove graffiti from property is $373 and any other applicable fees. It is more cost and time effective for owners to remove graffiti from their own property.

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Why does graffiti need to be removed?

Removing graffiti immediately shows that you care about your property and community. Prompt removal may dissuade the graffiti vandals from returning because their moniker/tag will not be seen by their peer group or the general public. The main objective of the vandals is to become infamous by the recognition.

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Who is doing this to my property?

As with any criminal activity, it is impossible to point to a particular person or group of people and say, "this is a graffiti vandal." However, what we can do is look at three types of people/groups that have historically been involved in graffiti vandalism:

Criminal Gangs
We call this a "criminal" gang to differentiate between this type of gang and the "tagging" gang (crew) which we will discuss next. The criminal gang's main focus is criminal activity other than graffiti. It uses graffiti as an identifier. This type of graffiti typically would have the gang name (or symbol). Most, if not all, gangs abbreviate their names into several letters, numbers, roman numerals, or symbols. This graffiti might also include an individual's name/nickname, commonly known as a moniker.

Graffiti Crews
The tagging crew is by strictest definition a gang. A gang is a group of individuals working toward unlawful ends, which the tagging crew does through its graffiti. The crew also abbreviates its name into an acronym, which is quicker and easier to tag. The Graffiti Crews' main goal is to tag, not engage in other criminal activity. However, as a means to achieve their goals the crewmembers may commit other criminal acts, such as shoplifting supplies, and trespassing.

Crews and graffiti vandals will also change their monikers from time to time. Crews will compete against rival crews to see who can do the best and/or most tags in a given time. This competition is known as a "battle." The crew which loses the battle must stop using their crew name and choose another or lose status.

It is not uncommon for vandalism to occur at tagger parties, but many crew members will go on "bombing" runs afterwards. "Bombing" is when a crew gathers together to write as much graffiti as they possibly can on private/public property. The harder or more dangerous the tag is to accomplish, the more prestige the graffiti vandal will receive. While bombing, crews sometimes put up their whole crew roster. Members from the crew not present will still be listed. Usually the first one listed on the roster is the person who wrote it. In just one bombing run, a crew can cover not only their own community but all surrounding cities. The more widepsread a crew's name appears, the more recognition they will receive. Crews who have accomplished this task are known as "All City."

Most of the problems crews face are in gang "turf" areas. They can often be mistaken for gang members due to their dress and/or actions. This is one reason why graffiti vandals may arm themselves with some type of weapon for protection.

Individuals
The last group is simply perpetrators who act alone; their graffiti is not related to any gang or crew. They are usually referred to as "oners." Members of crews don't recognize them as legitimate graffiti vandals.
Signs to Look for

Where is graffiti found?

Almost any building or object could be the target of a graffiti vandal; the graffiti vandal has little regard for sanctity of private or public property. The location tagged varies with the purpose for the graffiti (See "Why are they doing this to my proper09/24/2009laces visible to the public; it would not serve the graffiti vandals' or gangs' purpose to tag a location no one else could see. Listed below are some areas in a school setting where graffiti might be found; some would be obvious if seen, others require more careful observation:

What do they use to graffiti?

A wide variety of items and substances have been used to create graffiti. Examples that have been found at school sites and in the community include:

Spray Paint
Used for large-scale graffiti vandalism. Although law restricts the sale of spray paint to minors it continues to be the weapon of choice.

Paint and Felt Markers
A favorite due to their small, easily concealable size, these markers can be used on paper or porous surfaces.

Grease Pencils
Many newers school sites make extensive use of brick in their building construction. Vandals have found grease pencils to be very effective in defacing these buildings.

Etching
Scratching instruments or chemicals may be used to etch the graffiti into glass.

Decals/Stickers
Used to affix graffiti to various locations and surfaces.

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How can I use landscaping to deter graffiti vandals?

Although many products exist to deter graffiti vandals, an alternative exists which, depending on watering access, can have excellent long-term benefits. The following list offers ideas for shrubs and vining. However, prior to your selection a nurseryperson should be contacted to be sure that these plants are offered by the nursery, and are compatible with your soil and climate.

While there are no plants that will actually catch a burglar, the plants on this list, through thorns or prickly foliage will restrict access. Combined with proper security, you can make the property veritually prowler proof.

Outstanding Barrier Plants


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What is the graffiti report process?

Level 1 - Source of Graffiti Report

Reports of graffiti may come from any of the following sources:

Level 2 - Code Enforcement

When Code Enforcement receives the report, it is sent to the Graffiti Abatement Program. The location of the graffiti is inspected to see if the graffiti has been abated by the owner already. If the graffiti is present, GAP determines if the graffiti pose an immediate threat to the community. If the graffiti is deemed a threat, the program summarily abates the graffiti and a fee is generated to the property owner for abatement services. If it is not a threat, the property owners are notified.

Level 3 - Notification

If the graffiti appears on public property, GAP forwards the report to General Services for abatement and the reported complaint is then closed.

If the graffiti appears on private property, GAP will notify the agencies such as SMUD, School districts, Caltrans, Regional Transit, Sacramento Housing Redevelopment Agency (SHRA). Then the reported complaint is closed.

If the graffiti is on property belonging to a party other than those agencies, the property owner is sent an Owner Notification Letter. The letter explains they have a 10 day grace period to remove the graffiti from their property.

Level 4 - Compliance

If the private property owner removes it within the time limits, the report is closed. If there is no compliance with the notification, the city will remove it at a cost to the property owner and is closed with a service fee.

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What is graffiti? What about its history?

Graffiti Defined

In order to understand how to identify graffiti, we must first define what is graffiti. Graffiti comes in many forms; Websters defines it as "a message, slogan, inscription, or drawing made on a public surface." This definition, while adequate, lacks one key element: the criminal aspect of graffiti.

To finish the definition, we should consider what the California penal code says about graffiti in its vandalism section. Code section 594(a) states "every person who maliciously defaces with paint or any other liquid, damages, or destroys any real or personal property not his own, is guilty of vandalism." Depending on the amount of damage and clean up costs, graffiti vandalism could be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony.

It is important to remember the monetary cost to you and me as citizens. Graffiti found on public property hurts all citizen's pocket books. Graffiti in your neighborhood park, on the SMUD power box, on government buildings, and on school property costs the community service district, SMUD, the city and county, and school districts tens of thousands of dollars to clean up every year. These costs are passed on to us in the form of higher assessments, higher bills, and higher taxes.

Graffiti History

The word "graffiti" comes from the Italian word "graffio." It means "a crude inscription or drawing scratched, painted, or sprayed on a surface, as a wall, usually to be seen by the public." It is hard to pinpoint when or where graffiti emerged. If writing on the walls during the time of the cave man counts, graffiti began with prehistoric graffiti artists.

During World War II the phrase "Kilroy Was Here," was written and scrawled on tanks and military equipment overseas and throughout Europe. This phrase later showed up throughout the United States, mostly in the subways of New York City.

In the 1950s, street gangs used graffiti to mark their territory, for self promotion and intimidation. When a rival gang entered another gang's territory and saw, for example, "Sharks" written several times (each time with a different name underneath), this would show the size and strength of that gang. Initiation for a gang member in the 1950s was to hang the prospective member off the side of a bridge. While hanging by his ankles upside down, the member would write his name.

With the 1960s came the invention of the "Magic Marker." The Magic Marker was and still is the choice of many graffiti vandals due to its ability to write on almost any surface and easy concealment.

"TAKI 183" was probably the first well known graffiti vandal. His real name was Demetrius. He came to the United States from Greece and settled in the community of Washington Heights in Manhattan, New York. Demetrius met a boy named Julio who lived nearby on 204th Street. Julio used to write his name and his street number, "JULIO 204" wherever he went. Demetrius' nickname was "TAKI" and he lived on 183rd Street, so Demetrius began writing "TAKI 183" across the city of New York starting at the age of fifteen. His first "tag" was on the side of an ice cream truck in 1970.

Demetrius got a part time job as a messenger. While he made his deliveries, he would write his name on every street corner in Brooklyn. Demetrius found an art supply store on 53rd Street that sold extra wide markers. The extra wide markers gave Demetrius more recognition because his name stuck out from all the others who were using regular markers.

In July of 1971, a reporter from the New York Times interviewed "TAKI 183" and the first newspaper article about tagging appeared. Adolescents were impressed with the publicity and thought of him as a type of folk hero. Years later, a movie called "TURK 182" was produced. Many of the ideas for this movie were a direct result of Demetrius and his infamous tag, "TAKI 183.

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Are there different types of graffiti? What are their motives? Why do they do this to my property?

From COPS: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No. 9, "Graffiti" by Deborah Lamm Weis

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Glossary of Tagger Terms

All City Tagging all over, not just in one area.

Battle A contest between different taggers or crews to see who can write their tag the most times in a certain area within a given period of time.

Bomb To put a series of large letters on a wall usually in more than one color.

Bombing Run When a tagging crew comes together with the express purpose of putting up as many of their tag names and the name of their crew as they can either on public or private property.

Buff To remove graffiti from an object.

Crew A group of taggers with their own distinct name.

Heavens The large overhead freeway signs. Sometimes used to refer to any high objects to tag on.

Legal Wall A place where the tagger has permission to put up his graffiti.

Mob Putting as much graffiti on an object as possible; usually in a short period of time.

Oner A tagger who does not belong to a crew.

Piece An elaborate graffiti mural put on a wall or other large object.

Piece Book A book that taggers practice their style of graffiti writing or murals they plan to do in the future of have already done. These books sometimes have the appearance of a photo scrap book that have pictures of graffiti writing, murals that a tagger, or the crew he/she belongs to, has done.

Rank Status within the crew. Usually a veteran tagger will have some say as to what the crew will do.

Slash To cross out another tagger/crew's name. Meant as an insult or a challenge.

Tag A nickname or the act of putting graffiti on an object.

Tagger A person who adopts a nickname and then puts this nickname on objects.

Take-Out To defeat another tagger/crew in a battle.

Throw-Ups To put large bubble-style letters on an object.

Toy A beginner or a tagger who writes in an amateurish manner.

Wild Style A style of tagging that exhibits overlapping letters.

Write To put up a tag or graffiti on an object.

Writer A person who does murals (pieces); a person who puts his tag on objects. NOTE: A person who does pieces considers him- or herself an artist and refers to her- or himself as a writer. They do not like to be associated with taggers. A person who just tags can also call himself a writer.

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What are the laws regarding graffiti in the city of Sacramento?

Legislation - Sections Pertaining to Graffiti

California Assembly Bill 1179 (Epple)

California Assembly Bill 2519 (Karnette)

California Assembly Bill 2595 (Connolly)

California DMV Vehicle Code 13202.6

California Penal Codes 640.5 (a), (b), (c); 640.6(a), (b), and (c); 640.7 (a)

California Penal Codes 594(*), (b) 1-4; 594.1(a) 1, (b), (c), (e); 594.2; 594.3(a), (b); 594.4(b) 4

California Senate Bill 583 (Lewis)

California Senate Bill 302 (McCorquodale)

City of Sacramento, Code, Title 8

City of Sacramento, Code, Chapter 8.04

City of Sacramento, Code, Chapter 8.24

City of Sacramento, Code, Chapter 8.100

City of Sacramento, Code, Chapter 15.152