Is grafitti art or vandalism? It can be as simple as a few words or images sprayed or scrawled on a surface, like a fence or a wall (or a building, which makes people quite unhappy). It can be complex as full color, elaborate murals. The debate rages on the art versus vandalism question, but one form of graffiti is generally agreed to be more dangerous than the rest: gang tagging or gang graffiti.

Gang tagging is when someone marks a place with some sort of image or word that indicates gang territory, fights between rivals or collaborations, or as a way of marketing street drugs. It can mean that you’re in the cross hairs of danger. Plus it’s ugly and makes a neighborhood look trashy.

Many police departments offer graffiti control programs–check with your city to see if they can provide you with more information on how to prevent graffiti vandalism. Here are our tips.

How can you keep graffiti out of your neighborhood?
* Call your local police or sheriff and report all vandalism.
* Remove or paint over any graffiti on your property right away after taking a pictures of it.
* Educate your child about this crime.
* Help neighbors in graffiti removal.

For Business Owners
* Protect spray paint from theft–consider locking the up. And remember not to sell them to minors.
* Place signs in the spray paint area about the penalties for graffiti vandalism.
* Keep spray paint displays in an area that is easily seen by employees.

How to Remove Graffiti
* Keep matching paint on hand so you can cover it right away.
* For glass or previously painted metal surfaces, use MEK (methylethyl ketone) to remove graffiti.
* Ask your local hardware store for other graffiti removal products for glass, unpainted metal surfaces, brick, and cinder block.

What if You See a Tagger in Action?
* DO NOT speak to or attempt to stop the person.
* Get a good description of the person and get a license plate number if possible for police.
* Call 911 to report a vandalism-in-process.

Carjacking is a frightening, violent form of robbery. This is not only because an individual gets up close and personal with a weapon to steal your car, but also because carjacking sometimes is accompanies by another crime: kidnapping. Kidnap victims are frequently dropped off at another location unharmed, but others have been raped, assaulted, and even murdered.

This crime seems to capture the imagination of people because it is so personal and all too often, we hear about the baby left in the car or celebrity victim (think Robin Wright Penn in 1996). It also threatens something the vast majority of adults do: drive.

The National Crime Victimization Survey reports that carjacking victimization rates were highest in urban areas, followed by suburban and rural areas. Ninety-three percent of carjackings occurred in cities or suburbs and a weapon was used in 74% of carjackings.

Where does it happen most? Busy commercial areas where cars are parked and when the owner is entering or exiting the parked vehicle. The majority (65%) occur within five miles of the victim’s home. There’s also the “bump” and carjack–a light or small tap from behind, enough to get you to stop.

What Should You Do?

* Be alert. Your gut will often tell you if someone does not belong near you and your car.
* Watch for men who are loitering near your car or approaching you.
* Lock the doors to your car when you drive and when you park
* Always park in well-lighted, open areas. Consider valet if you’re a woman.
* Get in the car quickly and drive away immediately.
* If someone bumps you in traffic, be suspicious and stop in a busy, well-lit place (a police or fire station is ideal).
* If you are carjacked, give up your keys, get out of the car, and don’t fight.
* Never, ever agree to be kidnapped. Get out of the car and run.
* Call law enforcement immediately after you are safe

We’ve mentioned it before: good neighbors make good security. And what better way to get good neighbors than to start a crime watch program if you don’t have one?

How to Start a Neighborhood Crime Watch

1. Think about the things you want to accomplish: get to know each other? Talk about  crime? Start a patrol? Organize a committee?

2. Pick a date. Evenings are best, around 7 p.m. Schedule the meeting in someone’s home so neighbors can walk and feel comfortable in their own surroundings. You’ll also increase attendance. If no one is willing to host, consider a local church or public space. At least 30% participation is required to organize your group.

3. Call your local police department and ask an officer to attend. That officer is a wealth of information, from crime statistics and prevention tips to community policing, and information about how the police can help deter crime. In particular, ask the officer to address what is needed when calling the police about a suspicious person or vehicle.

4. Make a flyer, one for each home or apartment. This is to inform everyone of the meeting; the brochure speaks to the implementation of Neighborhood Watch. Your local police department may have ready-made brochures for you to distribute. Be sure to ask.

5. At the meeting, identify a neighborhood chairperson and organize the first meeting. Set up a telephone chain to be shared with neighbors participating in the crime watch. The chain is a list of phone numbers and addresses, as well as any special information about that location. This is how people stay in touch and it is a critical part of the program.

6. Ask if the police can provide crime watch signs, house stickers, or t-shirts for your group.

7. Set up a regular time for meetings each month and make plans to distribute the telephone chain.

This is not an easy process, but it’s one of the best things that can happen to a neighborhood!