Negatives Of Graffiti

Is Graffiti Art?

The first drawings on walls appeared in caves thousands of years ago. Now, subway cars wear the neverending doodles of taggers. Although some people view graffiti as a form of art, by definition graffiti “artists” damage public property without the consent of the owner. Graffiti not only defaces property, but also causes millions of dollars in repair. The question “When does graffiti become art?” has only one answer: Never. The law haas and always will consider graffiti as vandalism because of its harsh effects. Sure, as many believe, graffiti can bring life to a public place and certainly some of the most famous pieces of graffiti, such as Michael.jh and Deuce 7, grace the streets of cosmopolitan cities (Friedman). Also,

Toxic fumes released into the air from the paint promote global warming. According to Graffiti in the Natural World, “Modern-day, CFC-free aerosol sprays emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to ground-level ozone levels, a key component of asthma-inducing smog” (“How Does Graffiti Impact the Surrounding Environment?”). Many individuals believe that becoming a tagger marks a substantial first career opportunity for juveniles. However, in order to make a salary while tagging, adolescents must have experience. While marking public property, taggers put themselves at risk. According to the Sacramento Press, “the vandal must pay the victim the full cost of repairs, and may be ordered to not only clean up the graffiti but keep the area clean for up to a year” (Romero). Is painting public property really worth the risk? Lastly, after reading the definition of art, people believe that graffiti qualifies as art. Nevertheless, the Oxford Pocket Dictionary says that synonyms for graffiti include vandalism and defacement (“English Dictionary, Thesaurus, & Grammar Help | Oxford

Scribbling all over public property attracts the attention of many individuals. In 2014, graffiti caused a car crash in Buffalo, New York. According to WIVB News, “Tyler Barusic says he did not notice the stop sign when driving along Lord Street. Moments later he hit a car.” When later investigating the scene, investigators found that the stop sign had been covered in graffiti. Replacing the stop sign, the city of Buffalo promised to keep graffiti to a minimum to prevent future accidents like this (Guggenmos). Next, graffiti makes neighborhoods and cities seem unsafe, abandoned, and dirty. Gang related graffiti, such as the graffiti in Los Angeles, California, allows people to believe that the area has gangs that have threatened the area. The Los Angeles Police Department says, “Innocent residents are often subjected to gang violence by the mere presence of graffiti in their neighborhood” (LAPD). For the people living in the area, this acts as a warning sign forcing them out of the area. Lastly, local governments spend huge amounts of money on removing graffiti in towns and cities. In 2006, Chicago budgeted $6.5 million dollars in graffiti removal. Without graffiti, cities would save millions of dollars annually (Sanchez). Additionally, Graffiti: Art through Vandalism states that the U.S. Department of Justice says that graffiti vandals commonly shoplift their materials which adds an additional cost (Sanchez). In the