Council rules graffiti "not offensive enough" to remove, What is and what isnt "too offensive"? Options

[GMR]

Is it truly the councils responsibility to clean up after yobs? I wonder.....

If not them, then who? If nothing is done then that will end up defining Newbury. If one citizen took the effort to clean up after the graffiti vandals then he/ or she will be put on. It then becomes their task. Would that be right?

As for the police action, what power do they have to 'make them clean it up', let alone get the parents to pay for the cleanup? And as no-one seems to know who did the deed, what magic wand will 'the police' (actually a human being with no special psychic powers) wave to identify the culprit?

Isn't it a crime? They may not be able to make them 'clean up' (even though they should) but they can do them for the damage.

As for not knowing who is doing the dastly deed; I talked to a police officer awhile back about graffiti in our area and I was told that they know which group was responsible, even though they don't know exactly which individual it was. Nevertheless, if you are saying there is nothing we (authorities) can do, then you are also saying that they've got carte blanche to do whatever they want because nobody can or will be bothered to stop them. Where will this attitude end? And what does it say for Newbury?

[GMR]

Whatever...

[Exhausted]

Isn't it a crime? They may not be able to make them 'clean up' (even though they should) but they can do them for the damage.

If it can be proven who the culprits were, rather than hearsay, then an order to cleanup could be made against either the perpatrators or if underage, the parents. But, I wouldn't want our police officers wasting their time on this type of thing unless it was more of a professional tagging going on and our property was being badly defaced. Actually, what is the difference between a graffiti artist and the artists who were painting the Bricklayers. That had to be far worse than a willy on a bus shelter. Get a life people.

[GMR]

If it can be proven who the culprits were, rather than hearsay, then an order to cleanup could be made against either the perpatrators or if underage, the parents. But, I wouldn't want our police officers wasting their time on this type of thing unless it was more of a professional tagging going on and our property was being badly defaced. Actually, what is the difference between a graffiti artist and the artists who were painting the Bricklayers. That had to be far worse than a willy on a bus shelter. Get a life people.

So basically what you are say that they can continue regardless? I am sure the yobs will appreciate your green light attitude. The trouble is; out of little crimes bolder acts arise.

[Iommi]

Actually, what is the difference between a graffiti artist and the artists who were painting the Bricklayers. That had to be far worse than a willy on a bus shelter. Get a life people.

As GMR said, tolerating graffiti, is likely to be the thin end of the wedge. If one was trying to sell their house, I doubt many would be happy for their prospective buyers to pass a wall on the way to the house with graffiti splashed all over it. If your neighbour, meanwhile, painted their house in graffiti, I suspect one would get equally upset. Yet, this is the same principle.

[dannyboy]

Is it that easy though, and, are residents entitled to paint, or treat council, or other people's property?

I'm not saying they should do it openly.

[dannyboy]

The trouble is apathy is all around us.

You can't moan then can you?

[Guest_NWNREADER_*]

As GMR said, tolerating graffiti, is likely to be the thin end of the wedge. If one was trying to sell their house, I doubt many would be happy for their prospective buyers to pass a wall on the way to the house with graffiti splashed all over it. If your neighbour, meanwhile, painted their house in graffiti, I suspect one would get equally upset. Yet, this is the same principle.

I certainly do not condone or tolerate, but the hard fact of life is the offenders are rarely caught. Police resources are directed to other issues by central edict, and too few complaints are made for the local issue to get on the radar.
An area afflicted by graffiti says what the areas youngsters may be like (and their parents etc. A single house painted in abstract 'art' merely indicates the mindset of the occupant.....

[Exhausted]

So basically what you are say that they can continue regardless? I am sure the yobs will appreciate your green light attitude. The trouble is; out of little crimes bolder acts arise.

Not quite what I said, but a phone call to the Old Bill...... "Someone has defaced the side wall of my house" ..... Old Bill"When".... Answer, "I don't know, it happened the other day".......Old Bill "Do you know who the culprit was and did you or anybody else witness it ?"....... Answer "No".

So, what would the policeman who turned up (possibly) do. Check the handwriting... Visit every house in the area to see if anybody has a matching can of paint.
What do you think ? (large purple graffiti please)

[Iommi]

I don't think people are claiming that graffiti should be a top police priority, we are only trying to describe why, to some of the people who think this isn't a problem, when we think it is. There's few sayings more patronising than the 'get a life statement'!

People being more community spirited is a valid point, but in some cases, this wouldn't be practical.

[GMR]

You can't moan then can you?

Of course you can moan, you don’t just give up.

[GMR]

I'm not saying they should do it openly.

They shouldn’t do it at all; openly or on the sly.

[GMR]

I certainly do not condone or tolerate, but the hard fact of life is the offenders are rarely caught. Police resources are directed to other issues by central edict, and too few complaints are made for the local issue to get on the radar.
An area afflicted by graffiti says what the areas youngsters may be like (and their parents etc. A single house painted in abstract 'art' merely indicates the mindset of the occupant.....

I agree that they hardly get caught. That is why the council or the police should step up a gear. We’ve got the resources to catch the culprits. Not to do it gives them carte blanche and sends out a message that society is an easy touch. From there they progress.

[GMR]

Not quite what I said, but a phone call to the Old Bill...... "Someone has defaced the side wall of my house" ..... Old Bill"When".... Answer, "I don't know, it happened the other day".......Old Bill "Do you know who the culprit was and did you or anybody else witness it ?"....... Answer "No".

So, what would the policeman who turned up (possibly) do. Check the handwriting... Visit every house in the area to see if anybody has a matching can of paint.
What do you think ? (large purple graffiti please)

OK, I agree. Let us leave it. Let us send out a message that we can’t catch them – even though we are supposed to have the greatest police force and minds in the world. And why not send out the message to progress a bit further (sorry, you have), they might find some other stuff that we don’t regard as important. Maybe smashing windows, or scrapping the side of cars. Not really a priority, are they, and of course the police have other ‘important’ things to do. What about robbery... or does that classify as important? Murder? Too much. In fact why not just go the whole hog and just prosecute the people who call the police for being a nuisance; those that want a good society, a good neighbourhood.

[Exhausted]

GMR, what is it with you. You have this ability to go totally over the top when replying to posts, reading stuff into them then coming back like a hysterical girl. If you want the police to go graffiti hunting and spend resources on that then fine but do you not concede that in the scheme of things it is close to the bottom of the scale.

[dannyboy]

They shouldn’t do it at all; openly or on the sly.

Well that is the 21st century attitude we have come to expect isn't it?

No my job, mate.
#
There is **** all over my street, but I pay my rates!

[dannyboy]

GMR, what is it with you. You have this ability to go totally over the top when replying to posts, reading stuff into them then coming back like a hysterical girl. If you want the police to go graffiti hunting and spend resources on that then fine but do you not concede that in the scheme of things it is close to the bottom of the scale.

GMR wants to live in a Police state.


We 'know' who did it - nuff said!

[Iommi]

I'm not saying they should do it openly.

Well what are you saying? People should be prepared to potentially break the law, to save the council fulfilling their responsibility? Like I said, you suggested that this is all over a 5 minute scrub. Sometimes (for the second time), it isn't that easy to remove some graffiti. It can take specialist equipment.

I suspect you would get a number of volunteers, if the council were to advertise for them, provided they supplied the equipment to do it with.

Personally, I think it would be better for the community, if the community were 'empowered' to look after their own patch. I would expect to see this reflected in my council tax rate, mind!

[GMR]

GMR, what is it with you. You have this ability to go totally over the top when replying to posts, reading stuff into them then coming back like a hysterical girl. If you want the police to go graffiti hunting and spend resources on that then fine but do you not concede that in the scheme of things it is close to the bottom of the scale.

This is supposed to be a debating area. Putting scenarios, suggestions etc up doesn’t equate with hysterical women.



My point was that if we don’t do anything about the little things then the chancers will grow into doing bigger things. Also; how do we create a better society if we start ignoring things? Another point; are you saying that graffiti is so on the bottom that we should ignore it? If so what is the point of having laws that says you will be punished if you do so-and-so and then in the same breath say it isn’t that important.

[GMR]

GMR wants to live in a Police state.


We 'know' who did it - nuff said!

So you are saying because we want people arrested or punished for breaking the law equates to wanting a ‘police state’? Isn’t letting it go and doing nothing belittling the law?