Graffiti is a crime. According to the Georgia Code the term graffiti means “any inscriptions, words, figures, paintings, or other defacements that are written, marked, etched, scratched, sprays, drawn, thereon without prior authorization of the owner or occupant of the property.”
Graffiti hurts everyone: homeowners, communities, businesses, schools and you.
10 Easy tips for Preventing and Eradicating Graffiti
- If you see graffiti vandals in the act, call 911 to report them
- Record it using a digital camera
- Cover graffiti quickly on your property using the same color as the original painted surface
- Report graffiti to “Got Graffiti” hotline 770-822-5186 or by reporting it online
- Keep your property well lit, clean, and landscaped to discourage graffiti
- Plant native shrubs with prickly or thorny foliage near walls and fences to help prevent access
- Encourage businesses to remove graffiti within 48 hours
- Learn about graffiti and educate others in your community about how graffiti affects your quality of life
- Organize or take part in a community or neighborhood cleanup and graffiti paint-out
- Talk to your children, especially teenagers, about respecting public and private property
Every day, we can all do something to prevent graffiti and make Gwinnett a safer, cleaner and more livable community.