Cities in the United States spend billions annually managing graffiti. In California, San Francisco spends $15 million each year just removing graffiti from buses and streetcars. Los Angeles spends nearly $8 million per year to remove 33 million square feet. The costs would be even higher without strong volunteer support. Cities use resources to remove graffiti to implement a 1982 public administration concept, “the broken window theory.” This theory states that maintaining an orderly community also helps prevent crime.

According to the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, “graffiti fulfills certain psychological needs, including providing excitement and action, a sense of control, and an element of risk.” Despite the motivation, in California, graffiti defacement of property is criminal vandalism and punishable by fine or imprisonment. Woodland Municipal Code states that graffiti creates “a condition of blight within the City which results in a deterioration of property and business values,” that it is a “public nuisance which must be abated.” Newer home construction, such as in Spring Lake, includes architectural features that provides deterrents to graffiti. Property owners are responsible for graffiti removal, so this is a crime that does hurt home and business owners. The Woodland Police Department Volunteers in Policing (ViPs) provides a graffiti abatement service for the city. About once a week, several ViPs help to make sure that our environment reflects a prosperous, thriving community. If a ViP team member helps with graffiti abatement, they photograph graffiti and submit a report so that the property owner can be notified to remove it. If the property involved is public property, they alert the Department of Public Works to send a removal team. This information is also gathered to determine changing patterns in crime to adjust officer patrols when needed.

Anyone in our community can help stop graffiti vandalism by following these steps:

• If you see the application of graffiti in progress, please call 911.
• If you see graffiti which is already applied or have any information that might help identify offenders, please call 530-661-7870.
• When possible, take photographs of the graffiti and email them along with the date and location to: graffiti@cityofwoodland.org.

When law enforcement, city government, business owners, and community members work together, we can keep Woodland graffiti free. Together, we can maintain our clean, safe, and friendly town.