What is graffiti? What about its history?
Graffiti Defined In order to understand how to identify graffiti, we must first define what is graffiti. Graffiti comes in many forms; Websters defines it as “a message, slogan, inscription, or drawing made on a public surface.” This definition, while adequate, lacks one key element: the criminal aspect of graffiti. To finish the definition, we should consider what the California penal code says about graffiti in its vandalism section. Code section 594(a) states “every person who maliciously defaces with paint or any other liquid, damages, or destroys any real or personal property not his own, is guilty of vandalism.” Depending on the amount of damage and clean up costs, graffiti vandalism could be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony. It is important to remember the monetary cost to you and me as citizens. Graffiti found on public property hurts all citizen’s pocket books. Graffiti in your neighborhood park, on the SMUD power box, on government buildings, and on school prope
