Discussions on graffiti

[justanotheruser]

A person who commits a armed hold-up or child abuse does not have to pay all these costs.

Actually the victims of these crimes can apply for criminal compensation.  Until a few years ago, the offender could claim he/she couldn't afford it and an ex gratia payment would be made by the government to the victim.

Under changed laws, the offender now has to pay the compensation even if an ex gratia payment had already been paid (i.e. it's retrospective).  The debt is collected via SPER and the offender can enter a payment plan if the amount is significant.

There is no reason why this couldn't occur with vandalism, with restitution amounts being recovered by SPER.  (Offenders probably already have SPER debts anyway.  It'd just get added to their accounts.)

very easy to avoid SPER stuff if you want. "Borrow this and that from your mates" and they can't take anything. Sure they can take some of your pay if you get a job. Stuff all really.  As pointed out the cost of incarceration would not be included in that. The cost of prosecution is most certainly not included in compensation. So the original suggestion is still to treat vandals worse than muderers, violent ciminals & and perpetrators of abuse crimes.

One way to make these half smart vandals pay is quite simply jail time, let them cut out the SPER penalty at about $4.20 per day on jail wages which they would get sick of in short time.
Now lets see a $40.000.oo grafiti clean up bill and cort costs of another $5.000.oo would add up to a nice holiday of something like 2 1/2 years, no grog, no surfing, no dope, no freedom and terrible food.  Might be just about enough to reprogram the thought process and generate a sense responsibility for their actions.

yes because the prison system is so effective at preventing repeat criminals!!!!  Why else do you think they are talking about keeping less serious crimes out of prison for young offenders???  Get some realism. It is known that people learn how to commit crime in jails. 

[mufreight]

A person who commits a armed hold-up or child abuse does not have to pay all these costs.

Actually the victims of these crimes can apply for criminal compensation.  Until a few years ago, the offender could claim he/she couldn't afford it and an ex gratia payment would be made by the government to the victim.

Obviously you have little insight into the operations of the prison system, the biggest failing is that they are no longer sentenced to a sentence with hard labour.  As for the community paying an exgratia payment to the victims of crime if the offender claims that they are unable to pay, that is in the past, they are now persued for the amount and if they fail to pay are brought back before a court and sentenced to jail time to cut out the amount which is why there is now an increase in the state jail population. 
If you doubt this try it for size and see for yourself what the outcome is.
The time for bleeding heart options has long since past.

Under changed laws, the offender now has to pay the compensation even if an ex gratia payment had already been paid (i.e. it's retrospective).  The debt is collected via SPER and the offender can enter a payment plan if the amount is significant.

There is no reason why this couldn't occur with vandalism, with restitution amounts being recovered by SPER.  (Offenders probably already have SPER debts anyway.  It'd just get added to their accounts.)

very easy to avoid SPER stuff if you want. "Borrow this and that from your mates" and they can't take anything. Sure they can take some of your pay if you get a job. Stuff all really.  As pointed out the cost of incarceration would not be included in that. The cost of prosecution is most certainly not included in compensation. So the original suggestion is still to treat vandals worse than muderers, violent ciminals & and perpetrators of abuse crimes.

One way to make these half smart vandals pay is quite simply jail time, let them cut out the SPER penalty at about $4.20 per day on jail wages which they would get sick of in short time.
Now lets see a $40.000.oo grafiti clean up bill and cort costs of another $5.000.oo would add up to a nice holiday of something like 2 1/2 years, no grog, no surfing, no dope, no freedom and terrible food.  Might be just about enough to reprogram the thought process and generate a sense responsibility for their actions.

yes because the prison system is so effective at preventing repeat criminals!!!!  Why else do you think they are talking about keeping less serious crimes out of prison for young offenders???  Get some realism. It is known that people learn how to commit crime in jails.

[mufreight]

yes because the prison system is so effective at preventing repeat criminals!!!!  Why else do you think they are talking about keeping less serious crimes out of prison for young offenders???  Get some realism. It is known that people learn how to commit crime in jails.

If as you would seem to be asserting that (a) these graffiti vandals are not criminals then (b) the prospect of full cost recovery to remove their "ART" plus jail time should prove to be a considerable deterrent would you not think.

[#Metro]

Hello. I'm in Melbourne for a visit, and I have to say, while I can see scrachittis in the tram and on the train, I can't see any graffiti on the outside of the carriage. I think one potential reason for this is they use partial train wrap - metro makes the ends of the train tinged with blue decals and the doors blue too.

I think a similar thing could be done with QR - dress up the ends and the bottom skirt panel with strawberry red decals and some kind of design that has enough diversity in it that it won't be sprayed over.

The other advantage might also be that IF it is sprayed over, you just peel off that surface layer and replace. Simple and quick!

[Fares_Fair]

Article: Graffiti vandals spotted by police helicopter spray painting train at Varsity Lake
by: Anthony Gough
From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
August 11, 2012 at 12:37PM

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/graffiti-vandals-spotted-by-police-helicopter-spray-painting-train-at-varsity-lake/story-e6freoof-1226448128023

TWO teenagers have been arrested after allegedly vandalising a train carriage on the Gold Coast on Friday night.

Police said the incident occurred about 9.40pm yesterday when officers aboard a police helicopter witnessed five offenders allegedly using spray paint to graffiti a passenger train which was stopped at Varsity Lake Railway Station.

The officers notified Robina police who attended the location.

Police charged two 17-year-olds from Kingston and Logan Central with one count each of wilful damage, possessing a graffiti instrument and wilful trespass on a railway.

The pair are due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on August 24.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I think a similar thing could be done with QR
...Simple and quick!

And yet another expensive ongoing cost that isn't needed.

[SurfRail]

I will say one thing for Metro - their fleet is a LOT cleaner than it used to be (at least on the outside).

[justanotheruser]

yes because the prison system is so effective at preventing repeat criminals!!!!  Why else do you think they are talking about keeping less serious crimes out of prison for young offenders???  Get some realism. It is known that people learn how to commit crime in jails.

If as you would seem to be asserting that (a) these graffiti vandals are not criminals then (b) the prospect of full cost recovery to remove their "ART" plus jail time should prove to be a considerable deterrent would you not think.

Have no idea what you are talking about. I have never said people who do graffitti illegally are not criminals. What I object to is that you want to make their punishments harsher than that for murderers and child sex offenders. Why do you have so much compassion and relaxed attitude to those crimes compared to illegal grafitti.  Once again it is worth noting grafitti is not legal or illegal in and of itself. it depends on the situation in which it is done. Without permission is illegal. With permission is legal. I have proposed making certain spots where it can be legally done. I have also suggested a system which would allow easy identification of illegally done graffitti by these same people allowing action to be taken. You however simply reject it all on an emotional basis.

[somebody]

Settle down the both of you.  Otherwise we'll have to lock the thread.

[justanotheruser]

Settle down the both of you.  Otherwise we'll have to lock the thread.

Please explain where I am not making a reasoned thought out argument to support my point.  That is all I have done. Simply because I have mentioned certain crimes which are considered more awful than other crimes you imagine I am getting all emotional. Sorry but that is not the case. I have made what I feel is a very valid point which nobody cares to actually address yet they continued to repeat their views and misrepresent what I had said.

[somebody]

JAU, I've gone back through the thread and it seems that you first brought up kiddie fiddling.  I don't think that is appropriate or relevant!  Please don't do it again.

Here is the offending post:

So you don't know what your position is either then!!!  You once again seem to make contradicting statements or at the best very confusing statements.  You say if it is done without permission it is vandalism.

Yes the older generations were taught respect so well that their attitude towards child sexual abuse was to sweep it under the carpet and move the offender to another location where they could sexually abuse other kids! So much better than more modern attitude of punish them!  Take of the rose coloured glasses for a moment so we can have a discussion.

SR said this, and I agree:

Yes, if it is done without permission it bloody well is vandalism.  Nobody has a right to interfere with somebody else's property against their will without legal justification.

I am sure FF is a big boy, but that you could even vaguely suggest that respecting property rights is a value on par with encouraging kiddy fiddling frankly sickens me.

[justanotheruser]

JAU, I've gone back through the thread and it seems that you first brought up kiddie fiddling.  I don't think that is appropriate or relevant!  Please don't do it again.

Here is the offending post:

So you don't know what your position is either then!!!  You once again seem to make contradicting statements or at the best very confusing statements.  You say if it is done without permission it is vandalism.

Yes the older generations were taught respect so well that their attitude towards child sexual abuse was to sweep it under the carpet and move the offender to another location where they could sexually abuse other kids! So much better than more modern attitude of punish them!  Take of the rose coloured glasses for a moment so we can have a discussion.

SR said this, and I agree:

Yes, if it is done without permission it bloody well is vandalism.  Nobody has a right to interfere with somebody else's property against their will without legal justification.

I am sure FF is a big boy, but that you could even vaguely suggest that respecting property rights is a value on par with encouraging kiddy fiddling frankly sickens me.

Well done on being deceptive. That comment was made before it was suggested people take a chill pill. No comments since then however justify your warning. Since then I have provided nothing but reasoned argument which has been ignored. If you imagine it is emotional then it is actually you turning it that way. So what since the original comment asking people to settle down justifies your warning please. that is please only look at posts after post #69 for justifcation. Could it be that because we have disagreed on a couple of things including some points in this thread you are actually being biased?

[somebody]

Reply #87 again mentioned sex offences.

[justanotheruser]

Reply #87 again mentioned sex offences.

which means absolutely nothing. Yes it was mentioned but as part of a reasoned argument. The only person as far as I'm concerned who has caused a problem mentioning sex offences is post #65.

[ozbob]

Ministerial Statement

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
The Honourable Jarrod Bleijie

Graffiti to be cleaned up by offenders

Young graffiti offenders will be forced to clean up their mess under tough new laws to be introduced by Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie today.

Mr Bleijie said the previous Labor Government had been too soft on vandals with only a small percentage of sentenced offenders receiving custodial sentences.

"It doesn't matter what vandals call it, graffiti is an act of vandalism and it's breaking the law," he said.

"These young people have no respect for other people's property and it is only right they are made to clean up their mess.

"To make sure offenders are made to pay for their crimes, we will be introducing a mandatory community-based sentencing order called a Graffiti Removal Order.

"This new order ensures graffiti offenders, both adult and juvenile, remove graffiti, participate in work that helps with its removal or at the very least clean up public places.

"These clean-up orders will not only help reduce the amount of graffiti defacing our public places and property, but will also make vandals think twice about doing it in the first place.

"We will also be increasing the maximum penalty for graffiti from five to seven years' imprisonment to set a clear deterrent."

In the case of adult graffiti offenders, the courts will also be able to confiscate mobile phones or cameras if they have been used to record or photograph the offence.

"Graffiti vandals take great pride in their graffiti 'tag' which shows other vandals the work is distinctly theirs," Mr Bleijie said.

"These reforms reinforce graffiti as an act of vandalism and go to the heart of the graffiti gang culture."

"The Government will also work closely with business and local councils to help address the issue in industrial areas and surrounding locations.

"We have been working with the Brisbane City Council through our Youth Partnership Program to make young people remove graffiti across the city.

"These changes to the Criminal Code ensure the punishment fits the crime and at the same time helps offenders understand the impact their actions have on the community."

[ENDS] 29 November 2012   

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Drones to monitor German trains in attempt to stop graffiti

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

High tech war on graffiti

The Newman Government is deploying an invisible weapon in its war on graffiti.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said more than 1000 charges had been laid against graffiti vandals on rail assets in 2013.

"We're sick and tired of these grubs on our network and our clear message is you will get caught," Mr Emerson said.

"We are targeting this $5.5 million problem through a number of new technologies including the virtual fence which led to four arrests in June 2013.

"The virtual fence, located at a hot spot along the Gold Coast-Beenleigh line, uses a combination of thermal cameras and video analytics that detect vandals and sends an alert back to our security centre.

"The great thing about this technology is the vandals won't even know they have been detected until the police arrive to arrest them.

"We are also about to launch a new trial using military grade buried sensor cables that will detect vandals and will activate alarms at our security centre.

"Most recently a joint operation across several locations with the Queensland Police Railway Squad was conducted in June and resulted in multiple charges against 11 graffiti vandals.

"Vandals apprehended recently came from as far afield as Victoria to target our network.

"In April a targeted joint investigation on the Gold Coast line resulted in three males being charged, with one offender pleading guilty and being fined $4,880.

"Another offender was captured in Beenleigh in April and received 100 hours of community service and was fined $8,610.

"As recently as last week over 200 graffiti related charges were laid by Railway Squad officers against a suspect on the Ipswich line." 

Mr Emerson said the initiatives supported steps taken by the State Government to tackle graffiti including a new agreement between Brisbane City Council and Queensland Rail.

"Stations with more than 10 graffiti incidents in June included Goodna, Beenleigh and Kingston and on average, more than 100 trains come through our cleaning sheds each month with graffiti damage."

Last financial year about 300,000 square metres of graffiti had to be painted over along the south east Queensland rail corridor and about 12,000 square metres of private property next to the corridor. This is equivalent to more than 45 Rugby League football fields.

[ENDS] 25 July 2013

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Police deploy thermal cameras to catch graffiti vandals attacking Queensland trains

[ozbob]

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
The Honourable Jarrod Bleijie

New laws crack down on graffiti vandals and drug traffickers

Drug traffickers will serve tough, mandatory sentences and graffiti vandals will now be forced to clean up their mess under new laws passed by the Newman Government overnight.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said the criminal law amendments would make Queensland one of the toughest states in the nation when it comes to dealing with drug traffickers.

"Drugs have a devastating impact on the community and the low-lifes who peddle them need to be sent a message," Mr Bleijie said.

"Drug traffickers will now have to serve at least eighty per cent of their sentence before being eligible for parole and people who push drugs on children will also face stiffer penalties.

"Supplying schedule 1 drugs like heroin or amphetamines to a child now carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The maximum sentence for supplying schedule 2 drugs such as cannabis to a child will be 25 years.

"This is just another step this government is taking to ensure Queensland is the safest state in Australia to raise a child.

"These amendments also implement new anti-graffiti laws, which require vandals to clean up their mess as part of their sentence.

"Graffiti removal costs taxpayers and ratepayers millions of dollars a year and now it's the vandals' turn to pay.

"As well as being forced to remove graffiti, offenders also face longer jail terms with the maximum sentence increased from five years to seven years in jail.

"For too long, victims of crime have been left without a voice and we are committed to changing that.

"Victims of crime now must be permitted to read an impact statement in court if it is appropriate and they choose to do so.

"This will better inform the court and the offender of the effect the crime has had on them.

"These new laws will ensure the punishment fits the crime and rebalance the scales of justice back in favour of the victim instead of the offender.

"Unfortunately, despite the importance of these changes, Labor refused to support some of them, including the increased penalties for graffiti.

"Labor obviously hasn't learnt. The community has said enough is enough and we have listened."

[ENDS] 7 August 2013

[#Metro]

Graffiti is annoying but it is hardly up there with assault and murder. This sounds like overkill, expensive overkill. Providing jail times is extraordinarily expensive. Give them the scrubbing brush instead.

Places like Singapore have the death penalty on drug suppliers. Does it stop drug trafficking? Not at all. The issue isn't transport but production and demand.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Grafftti might not seem like alot but its not just the cost to remove and clean it up. A typical example for the railways can include damaged fencing, delays to infrastructure (tripping signals while accessing/tresspassing in the corridor - which happens more times than you would think), theft and not to mention the risk of train crew having to live the rest of their life knowing they ran over someone because they wanted to tag a wall in the railway corridor. Hell, even some fools still climb up to the top of the Merivale bridge just to tag it. The Story Bridge also had a similar problem before security was really beefed up. You even have some going as far as stealing clothing/keys/bags from railway workers and then impersonating staff. I remember reading a thing in the newspaper a couple years ago (might of been when I was visiting family in Sydney) about local/medium business being more worried about the cost to repair damage/theft to their property rather than the cost of having to remove some tags.

It won't stop it but it would minimise it somewhat and have flow on effects to other areas.

[#Metro]

Yes, but if someone dies, you can't really send them to jail after the fact can you? And the fact that they might die doing this is a de facto potential death penalty that is more harsh than these jail terms?

Think about it. If a person is willing to risk death, why would we then think that they would be deterred by any measure less than this, like extended jail sentences?

I don't think these people are rational so the fact that the penalty has increased probably means nothing to them. Maybe it is more about politicians looking tough and the message is aimed at US rather than practical ends.

[mufreight]

Yes, but if someone dies, you can't really send them to jail after the fact can you? And the fact that they might die doing this is a de facto potential death penalty that is more harsh than these jail terms?

Think about it. If a person is willing to risk death, why would we then think that they would be deterred by any measure less than this, like extended jail sentences?

I don't think these people are rational so the fact that the penalty has increased probably means nothing to them. Maybe it is more about politicians looking tough and the message is aimed at US rather than practical ends.

Agree, risking death to leave a tag or smuggle drugs but at the time their thought process wouldn't be that. I'm sure if you ask someone on death row if they really thought they would be executed for their activity and the answer would be know prior to being caught.

The first stage of the punishment should be cleaning their own mess up and others, along with significant fines. While cleaning the mess up, they should wear clothing to demonstrate to everyone waking past they are convicted graffiti artists cleaning the mess up. After 3rd offence, mandatory jail with chain gang cleaning up their mess during the day.

It would seem that most overlook the fact that if these grubs get cleaned up by a train it is the train crew who pay the price for these acts of vandalism and stupidity.
It should be that when caught instead of a slap on the wrist that the courts presently dish out in most cases they should do jail time and be taken out of jail during the term of their sentence to work cleaning up graffiti, a few nights in the carriage sheds cleaning up their mess and that of others would serve well to reprogram their attitudes and weekends working where there is a rail shutdown cleaning up the rail corridors.

[HappyTrainGuy]

It would seem that most overlook the fact that if these grubs get cleaned up by a train it is the train crew who pay the price for these acts of vandalism and stupidity.

Not just train crew but other staff and passengers that might have seen/attended. Even moreso the Police/Firies and Ambos that attend trying to keep them alive or have to clean up the aftermath. And don't forget the families of all these people. Some people have the idea (and in some cases it happens) that they bounce away from the train/preceding area but alot of the time they get caught and dragged underneath the train. I remember there being one incident a few years back where part of the Caboolture line was closed for about 5 hours just because emergency services had to walk a 300-400m section of track looking for and picking up body parts after a person got caught and dragged under an express train doing 100kph.

But as what Mufreight said. It might seem like something silly and it might have been their own fault but if they get clipped by a train its going to affect a lot of people from the train crew to emergency services and their families.

[longboi]

By the logic expressed in the previous few posts, we should be sending jaywalkers to prison.
If somebody walked out in front of my car and I hit them, it would be just as much of a traumatic experience.

If they are vandalising property then yes, they should be punished. However, the sentence must be commensurate to the offence.
Cleaning it up and perhaps providing some sort of financial compensation would be commensurate to the offence but not imprisonment - the harshest form of punishment that can be imposed on a person in our society.

[techblitz]

By the logic expressed in the previous few posts, we should be sending jaywalkers to prison.
If somebody walked out in front of my car and I hit them, it would be just as much of a traumatic experience.

If they are vandalising property then yes, they should be punished. However, the sentence must be commensurate to the offence.
Cleaning it up and perhaps providing some sort of financial compensation would be commensurate to the offence but not imprisonment - the harshest form of punishment that can be imposed on a person in our society.

Agreed... on anyone actually doing jail-time over graffiti.
The system is flat-out allocating enough room in prisons for the serious violent crims let alone vandals.

[ozbob]

Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience
The Honourable David Crisafulli

GraffitiSTOP campaign goes mobile

The war on graffiti is going hi-tech with a new purpose-built mobile phone application designed to give people the power to report graffiti anywhere in the state at the touch of a button.

Launching the App today, Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said it would mobilise community minded locals against graffiti like never before. 

"We vowed to clean up graffiti and empower communities to solve local problems and we are delivering on that promise," Mr Crisafulli said.

"By developing this App, we're hoping to get a younger generation of crime fighters involved in keeping their streets clean.

"The App allows anyone with an android phone or iPhone to pinpoint the precise location of graffiti on a map, upload a photo and text the wording to Crime Stoppers in one short and simple process.

"The information will then be processed by Crime Stoppers and sent to the local council where the graffiti has been located."

Mr Crisafulli said the App and the GraffitiSTOP initiative was part of the Newman Government's push to get tough on crime after years of inaction and provide clean and safe streets for Queensland families.

"It takes only a couple of minutes to help turn the tide against graffiti vandals and I urge everyone who cares about their community to join in the fight."

The App has been developed by Global GBM, specialised in developing mobile information systems.

Crime Stoppers Queensland CEO Trevor O'Hara said GraffitiSTOP was a popular tool among Queenslanders.

"The new App is an innovation that will make reporting graffiti even easier and more accessible," Mr O'Hara said.

"It's another opportunity for the people of Queensland to help keep our streets graffiti-free."

GraffitiSTOP is part of the Newman Government's Safer Streets and Crime Action Plan.

The App is available free from the App Store for both Android and iPhones.

GraffitiSTOP: 1300 472 334 (6am to 6pm Monday to Fridays excluding Public Holidays)

www.graffitistop.com.au
Facebook: GraffitiSTOP

[ENDS] 24 November 2013

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Queensland Rail program stamps out graffiti at Hemmant train station

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2014/8/3/vandals-clean-up-their-act

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
The Honourable Jarrod Bleijie
Sunday, August 03, 2014

Vandals clean up their act

Queensland homes and businesses have been cleaned up and are staying graffiti free one year after the State Government brought in strong laws that make vandals literally clean up their act.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie said the Government's mandatory graffiti removal orders, which forced vandals to clean up their own mess, had contributed to a dramatic drop in graffiti crime.

"The Government's extensive law and order reforms and extra resources for authorities have made Queensland safer for families, and now it's looking the part too," Mr Bleijie said.

"Queensland families are proud of who they are and where they live and we are cleaning up one of the most visible and ugliest forms of crime.

"The Government has a strong plan to tackle crime effectively and the results speak for themselves."

Mr Bleijie said since the Government introduced mandatory graffiti removal orders and increased the maximum sentence for vandalism to seven years in prison, the graffiti crime rate had been slashed by more than 25 per cent across the state.

"The graffiti removal orders are practical and effective, with convicted vandals literally cleaning up their act by removing graffiti as part of their sentence," he said.

"Over the past year, 128 offenders have been ordered to perform 1160 hours' worth of clean ups across Queensland. On the Gold Coast alone, they've re-painted around 3,500 square metres of buildings and other structures."

Mr Bleijie said an agreement between Queensland Corrective Services and Queensland Rail meant the state's trains and other rail infrastructure would now also be cleaned up.

"Rail infrastructure is a favourite for many vandals and graffiti costs Queensland Rail more than $5.5 million a year to clean up," he said.

"This agreement means offenders can now be sent out to clean up Queensland Rail property and in turn make Queenslanders' trip to work or home more enjoyable and less of an eyesore.

"Graffiti costs Queensland families a total of $200 million to clean up every year. It's an ugly blight on any home, business or community's image that we are determined to clean up."

[ENDS] 3 August 2014

[petey3801]

He obviously hasn't seen the trains in the past few weeks...

[HappyTrainGuy]

He obviously hasn't seen the trains in the past few weeks...

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Graffiti vandals target trams within days of opening to the public

[SurfRail]

They seem to be holding up much better than the IMUs did in their first month.

Window scratching doesn't seem to be a big issue down here.  Buses are basically free of it for the most part, and I suspect that what exists on the trains is generally done elsewhere (north of Beenleigh).

We just have the occasional problem with Besser blocks and star pickets being thrown at trains.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Graffiti vandals are threatening Queensland Rail train guards who witness their attacks with violence

[ozbob]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/graffiti-attack-numbers-paint-a-grim-picture-for-metro-trains-20150319-1m2zg6.html

[ozbob]

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/sydney-trains-sniffing-out-graffiti-thugs

Sydney Trains sniffing out graffiti thugs

Graffiti vandals are being arrested within moments of defacing train interiors, with a trial of new technology that automatically detects either spray paint or permanent marker, enabling Sydney Trains to track and record offenders in real time.

The trial is known as Mousetrap - because it catches vandals in the act.

An undisclosed number of Sydney Trains have been fitted with the detection system, which has so far led to the arrest of more than 30 offenders.

Mousetrap works by using an electronic chemical sensor which detects the vapour of both spray paint and marker pens.  Live CCTV records and provides images directly to Sydney Trains staff.

The Police Transport Command (PTC) can then be dispatched to quickly locate and arrest the vandals.

"Mousetrap is our latest weapon in the war against graffiti thugs damaging our trains. Vandals won't know where and they won't know when we're watching," Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said.

The system is in its early stages of trial and evaluation but Sydney Trains is confident of the initial results.

"We know it's early days for Mousetrap but its success has been in allowing Sydney Trains to move from a strategy of removing graffiti to one where we stop it as it happens," Sydney Trains Chief Executive Howard Collins said.

"Our message to graffiti vandals is clear: Spray the paint and run the risk."

Removing graffiti from the Sydney Trains network cost taxpayers $34 million last financial year, up from $30 million the year before.

"Our customers hate it – it's one of the top customer complaints and cleaners work hard to remove about 11,000 tags from trains each month."

"We know customers feel unsafe when they are using a train which is covered in graffiti and offenders often place themselves and others in danger by trespassing on the railway or being somewhere they shouldn't.

"I am determined to reduce the amount of graffiti vandalism on our train network and making trains a more attractive option for customers," Mr Constance said.

**CCTV footage is available on condition the identity of police and offenders is pixilated

Sydney Trains graffiti reduction strategy also includes:

•    Regularly painting out graffiti on rail corridors when maintenance is underway
•    Environmental design such as planting vegetation which makes it difficult for vandals to access  walls, trains and corridor infrastructure
•    Engineering modifications such as increased use of graffiti resistant surfaces and replaceable film on interior train windows
•    Upgrades to CCTV monitoring systems on trains and stations and using this capability to increased effect
•    Improved lighting
•    Security guards and patrols

[red dragin]

What a good bit of thinking.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney trains sniff out graffiti vandals

[BrizCommuter]

Also, authorities just looking at instagram will find out a lot of vandals!

[ozbob]

The scourge of ' scratch-iti ' ..



Photograph R Dow 14th May 2015