TELL TALE TAG THAT'S WINNING THE WAR ON GRAFFITI

 Australia 23 August 2004

Notts police and local schools have teamed up to fight the menace of graffiti. Teachers are now checking children's homework to see if they have tell-tale "tags", the signature of the graffiti vandal. Education Correspondent STEPHANIE BUNGAY reports

It is a mark of pride and ownership. A symbol which says "this is mine".

For a graffiti artist their tag - the individual signature which they leave on their work - is as important as the piece itself.

But now it is being used against them and it could even land them in court.

Police and head teachers are using symbols drawn in school books to catch the vandals who cost councils and businesses thousands of pounds a year in clean-up costs.

Three schools in Rushcliffe have teamed up with police to match artwork with graffiti found in the Bingham and Radcliffe areas.

So far 12 youngsters have been caught as a direct result of the scheme with Dayncourt, South Wolds and Toot Hill Comprehensives.

One is being dealt with in court and a girl was given a police caution after she vandalised a house in Radcliffe-on-Trent.

Police say they have seen a noticeable decrease in graffiti as a result of the scheme.

Now it is being stepped up to involve more businesses and housing associations who will send photos of graffiti found in the area to the police.

Notts police have provided funding to link them directly with the three schools via email.

Each of the schools will now be able to respond immediately to the information and photographs sent through by officers.

Teachers will match up the "tags" with any similar sketches found in school books and the police will be called in to question any potential culprits.

Both the schools and police will also keep a database of tags found during the school year.

Other councils are watching the scheme with interest to see if it should be expanded around the county.

Sergeant Dave Roberts, based at Bingham, said: "A lot of these teenagers practise their tags. They want to make their work unique.

"A lot of time they do it at school, practising it on their books.

"What we're doing now with the schools is using them to identity the graffiti artists around the area."

Last year Rushcliffe borough council was for the first time required to record how much it spent on clearing graffiti up.

It spent £6,500 on 37 separate incidents.

But that sum does not take into account acts and costs against private companies, buildings and schools.

Alf Peters is senior inclusion officer at Dayncourt Comprehensive, Radcliffe-on-Trent.

He said: "There was a case this year involving a girl at the school.

"She sprayed graffiti on the side of a house.

"Within three hours we had managed to trace who did it because of her tag.

"She was let off with a caution because it was her first offence.

"The police contacted her parents and they were really upset and offered to pay compensation to the home owner."

He said such incidents prove the project, which has been running for three years, is working.

From the start of the new school year, the scheme will involve more local agencies and partners, such as housing organisations.

If any of them find graffiti they will photograph it and the tag and e-mail it to Sgt Roberts.

He will then forward it to the schools' liaison officers and school contact points, who keep copies and records of all tags and artists.

"The old system worked very well, but it could take a lot of time," he said.

"Emails mean we can do a lot more and a lot quicker. We want to catch more people.

"The message to the people who do this is, you feel anonymous when you do this. You are leaving a tag which you don't think will identify you.

"But you are actually being very kind to us because you can be easily found out. And we will find out who you are."

It is hoped the project will eventually be rolled out to the rest of Rushcliffe's schools.

The scheme already has the support of Notts County Council.

A spokeswoman said: "It is good to see schools working closely with the local police to tackle the problem of graffiti, and building on other initiatives across the county. Anything that helps young people to understand how much of a nuisance is caused by graffiti, and the cost of cleaning it up, can only be welcomed by the County Council."

And Nottingham City Council said it would closely monitor the scheme.

"It is certainly something we would be very interested in looking at for city schools," a spokesman said.

Both Mr Peters and Sgt Roberts said there has been a noticeable decrease in graffiti around the area.

Mr Peters said: "When I first started at the school four years ago there was a problem with it, but now there is no graffiti in the school and if any is found it causes a shock.

"And if you look around Radcliffe your can hardly find any at all. Not many places can say that."

Sgt Roberts added: "Graffiti does nothing for an area. It doesn't enhance it, if anything it takes away from an area.

"And when we are dealing with this, it stops us from dealing with other, more serious matters.

"And it is not fun for the people it happens to either. They are left to clean up the mess, it costs them money.

"What right do people have to cause criminal damage to other people's property?"

But he and Mr Peters say there are more serious dangers with graffiti.

Mr Roberts explained: "If you look at a lot of the stuff, it is in high places, sides of bridges or a few floors up on a building.

"These children are risking their lives to leave a bit of art on the side of something. We can't allow that."

But how do pupils feel about their school books being scrutinised?

Dayncourt pupils Max Wheat, 14, and Benn Wowsqedy, 14, think it is a good idea.

Benn said: "What is the problem? The teachers have to look at our books anyway. The people doing it won't agree with it, but they shouldn't be doing it anyway. It won't make any difference to me."

And Max said:"I agree with it, why not? I think it would work. I think it is a great way of catching people and stopping it. It causes a mess and litters the area, so something needs to be done."

Teachers and parents are also supportive.

Ralph Surman, deputy head at Cantrell Primary in Bulwell and a member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "I think it is a very good scheme. I have heard of this being done in other areas before and I'm glad we are doing it.

"Graffiti is an eyesore and I am all in favour of doing anything we can to stop this and catch the people."

He added: "I am all in favour of multi agency work, I think it is the way forward. If the two can link up to stop a problem, why shouldn't they? I don't see why anyone would have a problem with this and would hope they don't.

"My only concern is the teacher who has to check the books is not identified. I don't want them being compromised or targeted. And I think we need to back it up with tough action from the police and courts. I want these people to be prosecuted, taken to court and fined. It would stop them doing it again."

Mum Kim Walker, 33, from Radcliffe-on-Trent, who has two children at Dayncourt Comprehensive, said: "It is very interesting and I am definitely in favour of it.

"We need to do something about vandalism. If you have hard evidence that can catch them, we have to use it.

"I would not mind if they took my kids' books because I would not want them to get away with it. This is a nice village and I don't want to see it being ruined."