GRAFFITI ABATEMENT

One of the most common and visually obvious signs of gang activity is graffiti and the associated fear and blight it creats.  Although not all graffiti is gang related, graffiti vandalism is one way gang members communicate with each other by claiming territory, bragging about criminal acts, threatening one another, and proving allegiance to a particular gang.  But graffiti is much more than words and symbols on a fence or business.  Graffiti itimidates entire neightborhoods and makes people feel like captives in their own homes, afraid to come forward with informatin for fear of retaliation.  Graffiti lowers property values and makes people less likely to shop and wlak in areas they see are impacted by graffiti.  Graffiti makes people think a neighborhood is not valued and appreciated so other types of vandalism and blight quickly follows.  It is often the first step in a cycle of neighborhood detioration which can be a difficult reputation to change.

The Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force works closely with the Santa Rosa Police Department's Graffiti Abatement program to track, analyze, and decipher gang graffiti trends throughout our city.  It is recognized as a common starting point for young people who want to join a gang and prove themselves.  For that reason, the various participating agencies share information regarding graffiti and work to hold vandals accountable for their actions.

The Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force allows for cooperative collaboration between business, community, county, city and school entities to discuss the trends and effects of gang activity, including graffiti vandalism.

For more information about gangs and the Graffiti Abatement Program and ways you can get involved in our volunteer efforts, please click here.