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1. What Is the Law on Graffiti?

Under state law, "unlawfully applying graffiti" and "unlawfully possessing graffiti implements" are violations and punishable by a fine. In addition to a fine, a defendant may be ordered to perform hours of community service in order to remove graffiti. A person can also be charged with criminal mischief, which can be a misdemeanor or felony charge, depending on the dollar amount of damage or restoration costs. These crimes are punishable with higher fines and the possibility of jail time.

2. Who Causes Graffiti?

Taggers
Taggers seeking underground recognition and fame cause almost all of the graffiti in Eugene-Springfield. "Tags" take the form of often unreadable words or initials, elaborate designs or bubble-style letters. Tags can derive from a unique name, street name or moniker. Taggers' tools are spray paint, large-tipped pens, devices that etch glass, or adhesive material used to apply tags to a surface. A group of taggers are called a "crew," and a common value among crews is non-conformity to rules or authority. Taggers often refer to themselves as "street artists" or "writers" and to their tags as "art." They don't view their acts as unlawful, believing that tagging is self-expression. However, their acts of vandalism to public and private property add up to thousands of dollars in restoration costs every day.

Gang Graffiti
Graffiti is a gang's means of identifying "turf," proclaiming superiority over other gangs, and issuing challenges and threats to rivals. Unlike tagger graffiti, this type of graffiti will commonly spell out a gang name, their geographic area or a numeric identifier. It can sometimes show an entire list of gang nicknames called a "roll call" or "roster."

Skinhead/Hate Crime Graffiti
Rather than using graffiti to claim turf or intimidate rivals, racist skinheads use graffiti to spread racist and neo-Nazi beliefs. Their intimidation also targets Jews, people of color, gays and lesbians.

Whether it is gang related, hate crime or tagger graffiti, the result is the same: decreased property values, vandalized public assets, and increased fear and anger among residents, business owners and other citizens.

3. What are the Effects of Graffiti?

Psychological Effect of Graffiti
Graffiti makes people feel that the neighborhood is being lost to gangs and lawlessness. If allowed to remain, graffiti becomes the first sign of urban decay, sending a highly visible message of lawlessness and a neighborhood unconcerned about its appearance. It instills fear and a feeling of vulnerability.

Economic Effect of Graffiti
When graffiti exists in a neighborhood, outsiders who may be considering opening a business or buying a home are likely to feel uneasy; they may choose to look elsewhere. Who wants to move to a blighted, decaying community? In addition, longtime residents and business owners may also think about relocating before it's too late!

Graffiti undermines community development, especially those efforts aimed at bringing in new businesses. Neighborhoods blighted by graffiti may find it particularly difficult to attract revitalizing investments. In addition to long-term effects, the immediate cost of removing graffiti can run into tens of thousands of dollars in private and public expense.

Graffiti attracts Graffiti
Taggers derive a certain excitement and thrill to tag in as many places as possible, and they often compete for recognition. Allowing graffiti to remain is equivalent to the "broken window syndrome" - leaving one broken window unrepaired will attract breakage in others as well.

In addition to being an attractive nuisance, graffiti also invites violence. Gang members intentionally deface other gangs' graffiti, perpetuating the cycle of violence. To allow another gang's graffiti to go unchallenged is contrary to the essence of gang philosophy.

4. What is Eugene Doing to Fight Graffiti?

Each year, the City of Eugene Maintenance division removes over 9,250 tags on public property, including USPS mail boxes and utility owned surfaces.

Traffic Maintenance staff routinely removes graffiti from the public rights of way. Examples include graffiti on traffic signs, light poles, light boxes, and federal mail boxes. The staff have regular routes that cover frequently tagged areas, including specific areas of town and bridge structures. Once reported, staff usually conduct a field visit within three working days. Gang-related, hate-related and obscene reports are dealt with immediately during regular business hours.

In addition, Parks and Open Space staff remove graffiti from developed parks. There is no funding available to remove graffiti from undeveloped parks, including bike paths in undeveloped parks. Facilities staff removes graffiti from City-owned facilities.

Public Works does not remove graffiti from private property. Private property owners are encouraged to remove graffiti immediately because prompt removal discourages additional graffiti.

The Volunteers in Policing program established the Huckleberry Patrol Team, a volunteer-driven graffiti abatement effort. The team locates, documents, and removes graffiti primarily on private property in midtown Eugene (11th to 15th, Charnelton to Ferry) and surrounding blocks. The program runs April to November, depending on the weather.

5. How Does Public Works Remove Graffiti?

Public Works uses several methods for graffiti removal, picking the best one for each tag and surface. Choices include a hot water pressure washer, paint, replacement of the item that was vandalized, cloth and elbow grease, and an environmentally friendly chemical.

6. What is the Huckleberry Patrol?

Huckleberry Patrol is a volunteer-driven graffiti abatement effort that helps businesses in the midtown area (11th to 15th, Charnelton to Ferry). Two-person teams travel by bicycle in the midtown area to locate, document, and remove and/or paint over graffiti.

The team is limited to the midtown area because there are only seven members. Some team members have regular shifts, while others schedule their shifts as they are available. Shifts tend to be weather dependent.

Some midtown businesses have filled out hold harmless agreements, allowing the volunteers to remove any graffiti they find on their property. If the volunteers locate graffiti on private property where there is no hold harmless agreement on file, they can approach the business, offer their services, and have the business owner fill out the form at that time. Businesses also contact the Volunteers in Policing Program requesting that the Huckleberry Patrol respond to their business to remove the graffiti. The volunteers use paint and supplies donated by local businesses. Businesses can also provide their own matching paint for the volunteers to use. Digital photos of the graffiti are downloaded and stored in a graffiti photo folder.

For more information:

• Midtown businesses wanting to participate in Huckleberry Patrol can call 541-682-5287 to join
• Citizens interested in joining the Huckleberry Patrol as volunteers should call 541-682-5355
  
• Email Lindy Smith

7. What Can I Do About Graffiti?

Property owners are encouraged to remove or paint over it immediately. Local paint stores can provide helpful information and materials to remove graffiti.

To report graffiti as a crime (criminal mischief) or to report graffiti as a potential bias crime, call the Eugene Police non-emergency number at 541-682-5111.

To report graffiti that is in the public rights of way or in developed parks, call Eugene Public Works Maintenance and Parks and Open Space divisions at 541-682-4800.

To report graffiti on City-owned buildings, contact the City’s Facilities Department at 541-682-2690.

To report graffiti in midtown Eugene (11th to 15th, Charnelton to Ferry) and surrounding blocks, or to contact the volunteer Huckleberry Patrol Team, call 541-682-5355.