By Paul Lerner

A new study has proven that graffiti leads to more serious crimes. 

The study was conducted by the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands, and the results were recently published in the prestigious journal Science. According to the influential newsmagazine The Economist, "The researchers’ conclusion is that one example of disorder, like graffiti or littering, can indeed encourage another, like stealing.... The message for policymakers and police officers is that clearing up graffiti or littering promptly could help fight the spread of crime."

The study's results confirm the "Broken Windows" theory of policing, which emphasizes the importance of cracking down on minor crimes like graffiti and littering, in order to prevent major crimes like burglary and armed robbery. 

In our Melrose neighborhood, there is far too much graffiti, and most residents hate it. We don't accept the pretentious claim that it is "artistic expression." It's vandalism, and we want it gone! 

Melrose Action Neighborhood Watch wants our community to have Zero Tolerance for graffiti. If you see graffiti, have it removed immediately. It's easy: All you need to do is contact Pacific Graffiti Solutions by phone at 310-204-2749 or by e-mail at graffiti@wwwpgs.net. There is no charge for this service (it's paid by your tax dollars). Pacific Graffiti Solutions is very efficient at cleaning up graffiti, and they work closely with Melrose Action Neighborhood Watch.

To Read the article in The Economist, please click here