The Hard Facts
About Graffiti
What is Graffiti?
Graffiti is the wilful marking, spraying or writing of a surface without the owner's consent.
It doesn't matter whether the property is privately owned or belongs to the community, wilfully marking property without permission is a crime punishable by a jail term, monetary fine, and/or community service. Stringent penalties under the Crimes Act 1900 and Summary Offences Act 1988 have been introduced to deal with graffiti.
What is the cost to the community?
Graffiti costs NSW up to $100 million per year. Estimating the true cost of graffiti is complicated by the fact that many people do not report the crime.
The City of Sydney Council in the 2005/06 financial year removed 242,797 incidents of graffiti and currently spends around $3 million per year on clean up costs.
Did you know?
Analysis of the NSW recorded crime statistics from January 2001 to December 2006 indicates that:
- There were a total of 591,321 incidents of malicious damage to property reported to NSW Police over this period, with 47,235 (8.0%) of these incidents related to graffiti.
- In 2006, among those Offenders whose age and gender were known to the police (n=2,431):
- 1,833 (75%) were under the age of 18,
- 94 (4%) were aged 25 and above,
- 2,101 (86%) were males,
- 1,545 (64%) were males aged under 18,
- 288 (12%) were females aged under 18. - The premises type most often reported in relation to graffiti were educational premises. This was followed by residential, business/commercial and outdoor/public places.
Reporting Graffiti
Graffiti is against the law and, like any other criminal activity, should be reported to the police. It should also be reported to the property owner and local council at the earliest opportunity–don't assume that someone else has or will report it! Take action and report graffiti yourself.
If you are a victim of graffiti, contact the NSW Police Force, Police Assistance Line (PAL) on 131 444. PAL can also assist with general police enquiries.
Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 to report your knowledge of the criminal activity or alternatively report online at https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/crime_report and complete the 'Pass on Information Confidentially' form.
Graffiti Removal
If your property is subject to graffiti, don't accept that the graffiti is there to stay. It is said that graffiti not only devalues property, but it gives the impression that no one cares about the neighbourhood, which, in turn, creates an open invitation for littering, loitering and further graffiti vandalism. Research shows that graffiti removal within 24 to 48 hours significantly reduces the chance of graffiti reoccurring.
The most effective method for graffiti removal is determined by the amount of graffiti, its location and the vandalised surface, hence, before you start trying to remove the graffiti, you will need to:
1. identify the surface type
2. identify the substance to be removed (e.g. paint or broad-tipped marker)
3. select the removal method.
The chart below recommends specific removal methods for surfaces commonly vandalised by graffiti. In some cases, you may need to try various different removal methods. Test on a small section of the surface and inspect the area for damage before undertaking the full clean. Remember that graffiti can always be removed and your persistence will pay off.
Download the chart in PDF (188 KB).
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open PDF files. You can download the Reader from the Adobe website.
For further information on how to remove Graffiti visit www.graffiti.nsw.gov.au.
Graffiti Prevention
Removing graffiti can be a time consuming and difficult job. You can avoid some of this effort and expense by taking preventative action.
- Remove graffiti promptly
The most effective way to prevent vandalism is to remove graffiti promptly (preferably within 24 to 48 hours) to show that you care about the property. - Maintain your property
Keep your property clean and tidy, free of litter, weeds and damage to show that you care about your property and that vandalism will not be tolerated. - Install fencing that won't attract graffiti
If you're installing a new fence or replacing an existing fence, consider installing a metal cyclone fence or a fence constructed with natural materials (e.g. bamboo or bush reed). Textured surfaces are difficult to spray paint and graffiti on such surfaces is hard to read. - Paint walls/fences with dark colours
Discourage graffiti vandals from vandalising your walls and fences by painting them with darker colours. Graffiti is less noticeable on darker coloured surfaces and, hence, is less likely to give the vandal the recognition they're looking for. - Plant vegetation in front of walls/fences
Install trellis on blank walls and fences to create an uneven surface—uneven surfaces deter graffiti vandals as their graffiti will not be clearly visible. - Employ security measures
Ensure your property has adequate security to prevent access by graffiti vandals.
Improve lighting. A well-lit area will promote natural surveillance and deter vandalism. - Use graffiti coating in high risk areas
For areas that are repeatedly vandalised with graffiti, use graffiti resistant materials or protective coatings so graffiti can be easily removed. - Report graffiti
Report instances of graffiti to the police, property owner and local council at the earliest opportunity.
For further information on how to prevent becoming a victim of Graffiti visit www.graffiti.nsw.gov.au.