Timothy Kephart

4 Ways Graffiti Vandalism Hurts Cities Economically

Graffiti-based vandalism continues to tattoo the urban landscape, defacing buildings, bridges, sidewalks, signs and other structures. The annual cleanup costs throughout the United States have been estimated between $8 billion to 12 billion. In major cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Chicago, the associated expenses for graffiti vandalism reach well into the millions each year. Private building owners often end up responsible for expensive graffiti removal, and property values tend to go down while this type of crime keeps going up.

5 Ways Graffiti Vandals Damage Your Community

A U.S. Justice Department study found that graffiti discourages people from using mass transit, makes business districts less attractive to shoppers and increases fear of gangs among residents. Law enforcement and community officials talk about how graffiti —usually spray-painted or applied with indelible markers— is costly in terms of removal, lowered property values and lost business. Graffiti Tracker is a web-based system designed to help identify and prosecute graffiti vandals.