Curb graffiti in your community

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3. Paint it out
A benefit of reporting graffiti is that your municipality may give you a hand in painting it out. Vancouver offers a free paint-out kit containing everything you need to get started, including paint, tray, roller and gloves. Other cities across the country have similar programs.

Paquin says that to clean up a large area, like a neighbourhood park, citizens can organize a "community paint-out." In Vancouver, these paint-outs are an official part of the Graffiti Management Program and the city helps with promotion and by supplying a van full of equipment. Paquin says these events can be worthwhile no matter where you live. "Get a bunch of volunteers together and approach the city," he says. "Say, 'we would like to clean this up -- are you willing to supply us with the paint?'"

4. Prevent it
While following the above-mentioned steps will go a long way to preventing further graffiti, Paquin says there are other things you can do.

Educate. Vancouver police report that taggers range from teens to those in their early 30s. Each year the Graffiti Management Program distributes leaflets and makes presentations in Vancouver schools. While these sessions appeal to students' sense of right and wrong, they also clearly outline the consequences of graffiti vandalism. "We tell them you can be arrested," says Paquin. "Our prosecutor and the courts have accepted this, and it's a $500 fine." Find out if similar programs are in place where you live and, if not, suggest they be started.

Get involved. Paquin says it can be as simple as asking a question. "If your kids have a duffel bag or a backpack full of spray cans, ask them, 'What are you doing with those?'" he says. As well, he says seeing community members, including parents and neighbours, taking an active part in keeping the neighbourhood clean can make potential taggers think twice about their actions.

Finally, Paquin says, if you can't beat them, join them. Mural programs, which put a positive twist on street painting, exist in several Canadian cities and offer a combination of benefits by providing local artists with a legitimate chance to display their work, bringing character and interest to communities, and discouraging further graffiti.

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