Fighting Graffiti

Tools

Story Published: Jun 17, 2008 at 7:05 PM MDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:49 PM MDT

By Araksya Karapetyan

Video

When it gets warmer like this, more and more people get outside.
But some of them don't engage in the best of activities, and it's leaving an ugly mark on our communities.
People are upset because they aren't used to seeing tagged walls.
Graffiti is common in big cities, but it seems to be spreading here and it's becoming an eye soar.

When you are driving around town, it's hard not to see this

Jim Jored, frustrated resident: "There's a total disregard for other people's property."

Something residents want to see change.
But it's easier said than done.

Melissa Smith, IFPD:"There's a lot of work involved with permission to get on property, get scheduled, getting rollers collected to go get it done."

This man thinks it should be done differently.
Instead of using volunteers, those who create the mess, should be responsible.

Jored: "I think the kids who do this damage should clean it up."
"They should be the ones out with buckets and the rags and paint brushes and so forth, fixing the problem."

Smith: "We've had in the past used 3B help us clean up."

And they plan on using them again.
But when it comes to where they can go, there is a restriction.

Smith: "We have certain supplies for certain areas we have some grants, certain areas of the city, doesn't focus outside into the county."

In fact graffiti unfortunately becomes the responsibility of the homeowner or the property owner, not the city or the county. Unless it's on actual city property.
The Citizen's Watch Patrol is just trying to help out the cause.

Smith: "Right now we target the immediate city of Idaho Falls"

The punishment for tagging includes paying for the damages, 1 year in jail and a one thousand dollar fine.
If the damage is over 1 thousand dollars then it becomes a felony, and that bumps up the sentence to 5 years.
And just a few years, the law changed to say that if the graffiti includes multiple locations and is connected, then law enforcement can combine the charges, which will increase the potential penalties and turn it into a felony.

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