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SUBJECTS › PUBLIC SAFETY › Graffiti Control/Regulation
Updated 10/09

Graffiti Control/Regulation

Contents

About Graffiti

Graffiti on public and private property continues to be a problem in many jurisdictions.    This page contains information on strategies for controlling and/or regulating graffiti and includes sample ordinances and links to graffiti-related Web sites.

Two basic approaches have been taken by Washington local governments to regulate and control graffiti. One approach is aimed at the "graffiti artists" or "taggers" and makes it a crime to damage or deface public or private property. To be effective this approach requires that police officers must actually catch a tagger in the act.

A different approach is aimed at getting the graffiti removed as soon as possible, the theory being that quick removal will deny the graffiti artists any time to admire their work and therefore remove, or at least reduce, their incentive to do it in the first place. On public property, this requires an active monitoring program and the use of either city crews or volunteers to wash walls and paint over the graffiti.  On private property some local governments regulate it as a public nuisance and to require removal by the property owner.

Other Strategies

Redmond's innovative approach involved the construction of a legal graffiti wall where taggers are invited to do their thing on a designated display wall, the hope being that they will be less inclined to paint somewhere else.  Pasco has had a particularly effective graffiti abatement program which involves the enlistment of juvenile offenders doing community service work to remove graffiti within 48 hours.  Some jurisdictions  have gone so far as to prohibit the sale of spray paint to minors in an attempt to cut off the supply of paint to the graffiti artists.

Statutes

  • RCW 9A.48.090 - Malicious mischief in the third degree - Makes acts of graffiti malicious mischief in the third degree.
  • RCW 9A.48.105 - Criminal street gang tagging and graffiti
  • RCW 4.24.190 - Action against parent for willful injury to person or property by minor - Monetary limitation - common law liability preserved. - Imposes financial responsibility on the parents of minors involved in acts of graffiti in some circumstances.
  • Ch. 276 Laws of 2008 (ESSHB 2712) - Criminal Street Gangs - Contains criminal street gang tagging and graffiti provisions (RCW 9A.48.105), and  an appropriation to WASPC for grants to local communities for short-term strategies in enforcement and graffiti abatement
    • Gov. Gregoire Signs Comprehensive Gang Legislation, News Release, March 31, 2008

    Programs and Ordinance Provisions

    Additional Information Resources