One less tagger around... (Pittsburgh, York: 2015, crime rates, neighborhoods)

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I agree that there's a difference between "public art" and "public tagging". Crudely spray-painting your initials anywhere and everywhere conjures up an image in my mind of a dog trying to pee on every fire hydrant he or she sees in order to "mark". However, if someone does something tasteful, such as what PghYinzer linked, I'm much less inclined to be annoyed by it.

Also, to say those of us who dislike graffiti are "promoting suburban living" is outrageous. I am just back in from a very long walk from my home to CCAC's Starbucks and back via the Mexican War Streets, and I find this city to be nothing short of beautiful. It would just be even more beautiful if these cretins would stay in school, learn to respect authority and private property, and keep their "tags" on their own canvasses.

This is a totally reasonable stance. It is vandalism. I just reject broad, sweeping, and frankly hyperbolic generalizations about what graffiti says about neighborhood.

[erieguy]

Those who are used to that behavior in a neighborhood will more readily accept it. Those that aren't used to it, aren't. The majority have no desire to see it where it doesn't belong.

[quackxp]

I can't condone any art-form or culture that's is based on stealing resources weather public or private and illegal activity.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

. It would just be even more beautiful if these cretins would stay in school, learn to respect authority and private property, and keep their "tags" on their own canvasses.

The cretin who was pinched here did stay in school, in fact was a CMU student.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by norcider

What's more offensive to me is cutting down acres and acres of trees on McKnight Rd for yet another strip mall. Just how many bog box hardware stores does a region need anyhow?

I don't think there's any shortage of trees in the area...and if you want homes repaired, restored, refurbished, etc..., you need places that sell the supplies.

[zipman]

One of the biggest issues with graffiti is that it actually a catalyst for other crimes:

"The mere presence of graffiti doubles the number of people littering and stealing in a neighborhood, research suggests.

The results, which are detailed in the Nov. 21, 2008 issue of the journal Science, support and expand on the so-called broken windows theory, which forms the backbone of many crime prevention programs in major cities such as New York.

The theory suggests that signs of disorder, such as broken windows, graffiti and litter, can open the door to individuals breaking other social norms and rules."


I keep a can of green spray paint in the car to cover over any graffiti that pops up on the local mailboxes right away ... although after regular "re-paintings" for the first couple of years, there have been almost no new instances over the last year or so.

[Salmonburgher]

Punish the jagoff. Harshly.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by zipman

One of the biggest issues with graffiti is that it actually a catalyst for other crimes:

"The mere presence of graffiti doubles the number of people littering and stealing in a neighborhood, research suggests.

The results, which are detailed in the Nov. 21, 2008 issue of the journal Science, support and expand on the so-called broken windows theory, which forms the backbone of many crime prevention programs in major cities such as New York.

The theory suggests that signs of disorder, such as broken windows, graffiti and litter, can open the door to individuals breaking other social norms and rules."


I keep a can of green spray paint in the car to cover over any graffiti that pops up on the local mailboxes right away ... although after regular "re-paintings" for the first couple of years, there have been almost no new instances over the last year or so.

Ah, broken windows again. I could post dozens of studies and articles that contradict this one.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Ah, broken windows again. I could post dozens of studies and articles that contradict this one.

Please do. And to prove you're not just spouting hyperbole, the list must be at least 24 different studies to qualify for "dozens".

Needless to say, I doubt those are forthcoming.

[Icy Tea]

Just tattoo "loser" on his forehead. See how he likes somebody tagging HIM. What is it with graffiti. These people make no statement in real life and want recognition but do zero to merit it. So they turn to vandalism.