Welcome to the NCPD
Anti-Graffiti Project
This site provides a resource to citizen groups, educators and local governments working to solve the problem of graffiti vandalism in their communities.

Do More Strict Ordinances Prevent Illegal Graffiti?



Results

A Voluntary Program Designed to Reduce Retail Theft and Illegal Purchase of Spray Paint and Markers

Produced in the public interest by the National Council to Prevent Delinquency

 

Introduction

What is Responsible Retailing?

Why is Responsible Retailing Important?

How Do I Become a Responsible Retailer?

How Do the Signs Help?

How Do I Implement Responsible Retailing?

Why Should I Participate?

Will My Involvement Be Good For Business?

Why Go To All This Trouble?

Sample Notices

 

Introduction

Most retailers know how merchandise leaves their stores. If shoplifting becomes a problem, they respond promptly. Given that fact, you already may be doing many of the things suggested in this booklet.

However, for many retailers, the connection between graffiti and shoplifting is new -- just as graffiti vandalism may be new to your community or neighborhood. For those retailers and for all who understand the value of responding to the buying public's concerns, this booklet should be a valuable asset. In some locations it will help you better conform to local laws. In all locations, it will help you retain customers while projecting a clear image as someone concerned with and responsive to community concerns.

If you have any questions on the Responsible Retailing Program or on the laws concerning the display or sale of spray paint or markers in your community, please call or write to the National Council. Our address and telephone number are provided later in this Guide.


What is Responsible Retailing?

Responsible Retailing is a combination of in-store activities designed to reduce shoplifting of potential graffiti tools and to stop the illegal sale of spray paint and wide-tipped markers, where such sale is prohibited to customers under the age of 18. It includes the education of store employees; the strategic placement of signs at display and check-out points; and the prudent display of spray paint and markers.


Why is Responsible Retailing Important?

Over the past several months, graffiti vandalism has increased in many communities. As a result, municipal governments and community-based groups are working to stop the vandals and repair the damage they are causing. Law enforcement personnel helping in these efforts report that many graffiti vandals claim to have stolen or "racked" the paint or markers used in their crimes. In jurisdictions which have banned sale of spray paint and wide-tipped markers to minors, juvenile vandals claim they have no problem buying these products from retail stores.

Graffiti vandalism costs property owners millions of dollars each year. The Responsible Retailing Program is a direct, yet practical response to this dilemma. It deprives graffiti vandals of legitimate products they misuse to commit property crimes by helping retailers to educate employees and to step up internal security with minimum disruption to the legitimate customer. By joining the Responsible Retailing Program, participating retailers can reduce the potential for shoplifting from their stores and demonstrate an active concern for the problems of the community in which they do business.


How Do I Become a Responsible Retailer?

Becoming a Responsible Retailer is easy. The program requires three simple actions:

  1. Educate staff to the potential for shoplifting of spray paint and markers. Make them aware of local laws, especially if they ban sale of spray paint and markers to minors. (See sample letter "A Request to All Employees" attached.)
  2. Post signs at paint display area(s) stating penalties for graffiti vandalism and, where appropriate, sale to minors. If you operate under a no-sale-to-minors law, post sign(s) at check-out area(s) listing acceptable proofs-of-age for spray paint or wide-tipped marker purchase.
  3. Assure that spray paint and wide-tipped markers are clearly observable by store personnel at all times or otherwise protected from theft. (See Step Three: How Do I Implement Responsible Retailing?)



How Do the Signs Help?

Warning signs placed inside the store serve to educate customers on the law and to warn graffiti vandals, particularly juveniles, of the penalties for graffiti crimes, and for minors illegally acquiring spray paint and wide-tipped markers. The signs give fair warning to those who might steal or illegally purchase potential graffiti tools. The entryway sign informs customers and neighbors that your store is a partner in the war on graffiti.


How Do I Implement Responsible Retailing?

Implementation requires only the following:

Step One: Inform Your Employees
This can be accomplished in a store meeting, through a pay-envelope stuffer or in individual discussions. Later in this booklet are sample letters you can use to announce participation in the program.

Step Two: Post the Signs
Place a sign in clear public view at or near the displays of spray paint or markers stating:

GRAFFITI IS AGAINST THE LAW
THE DEFACING OF PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PROPERTY IS PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OR IMPRISONMENT.

Place a sign in clear public view at or near the display of such products, stating:

WARNING TO SHOPLIFTERS
THEFT OF ANY ITEM FROM THIS STORE IS A SERIOUS CRIME, PUNISHABLE BY A FINE, IMPRISONMENT, OR BOTH. WE PROSECUTE ALL SHOPLIFTERS, REGARDLESS OF AGE.

If appropriate in your jurisdiction, place a sign in the direct view of cashiers or others responsible for accepting customer payment stating:

SORRY, NO SALE TO MINORS
SELLING SPRAY PAINT OR WIDE-TIPPED MARKERS TO PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE IS AGAINST THE LAW. FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT- ISSUED IDENTIFICATION ONLY. VIOLATORS CAN BE FINED OR IMPRISONED.

Step Three: Arrange the Display
Display paint or markers in a way that places them in the line-of-sight of store personnel, either directly or through the use of mirrors, cameras or other devices, during all times your store is open to the public.


Why Should I Participate?

Your participation in this partnership sends a message to your customers and to your neighbors that you care about the community's problems and are willing to take an active role in solving them.


Will My Involvement Be Good For Business?

If graffiti vandals are to be believed, your participation in the Responsible Retailing Program could eliminate one significant source of products used in acts of graffiti vandalism. Your participation will also serve to assure the prevention of loss-by-shoplifting or "shrinkage" of these products and, thereby, assure a healthier bottom-line.


Why Go To All This Trouble?

The answer may surprise you. In the case of spray paint, for example, we know that:

  • The average household buys more than one can of spray paint per person per year.
  • The amount spent on other items purchased with the spray paint, such as masking tape and sandpaper, almost always equals or exceeds that of the paint purchase.
  • In most stores, aerosol paint ranks among the top 10 or 12 items in profit-per-foot of display space.
  • Spray paints and markers, like other items frequently needed for small home, shop, or business tasks, are great traffic builders.

Restricting access to or not stocking these products has a strong negative impact on traffic and income. Stores operating under "lock-up" laws report losses in spray paint and related sales of more than one-third. If your store's layout or location presents special security problems, by all means do what you believe necessary to meet them. But for most stores, Responsible Retailing will provide the awareness and security necessary to prevent illegal access to products by graffiti vandals and to retain and improve legitimate business.


Sample Notice: "A REQUEST TO OUR EMPLOYEES" -- (For use in areas with no age restrictions on sales.)

(For use in areas with no age restrictions on sales.)

A REQUEST TO OUR EMPLOYEES


The success of our business depends on the good will of our customers. It is important, therefore, that we be good neighbors to them.

Right now, graffiti is a real problem in our neighborhood and others in the community. Graffiti vandals, also known as taggers deface property, have a negative impact on property values, and make neighborhoods look and feel unsafe. While the government must take steps to stop and punish vandals, we can help by keeping potential graffiti tools out of the hands of juveniles who misuse them.

As you probably are aware, many youths claim that they steal spray paint and markers from store shelves. This store has joined the National Council to Prevent Delinquency in its efforts to stop graffiti by joining the Responsible Retailing Program. We need your help to fulfill our pledge. You can assist by being especially alert to activity around the displays of these two products. Please keep an eye out for minors at the shelves where spray paint and wide-tipped markers are displayed. If you see someone loitering in these areas or behaving suspiciously, check it out or call a supervisor.

If you catch a shoplifter, please be assured that he or she will not simply get a slap on the wrist. This is serious business and we will take it seriously.

Graffiti costs us all because we pay for the cleanup out of our taxes. With your help, we can assure that these products do not go from our shelves into the hands of vandals.

If you have any question s about this request, please ask your supervisor or contact me directly. Many thanks.

Sample Notice: A REQUEST TO OUR EMPLOYEES -- (For use in areas where sale-to-minors is illegal.)

(For use in areas where sale-to-minors is illegal.)

A REQUEST TO OUR EMPLOYEES


The success of our business depends on the good will of our customers. It is important, therefore, that we be good neighbors to them.

Right now, graffiti is a real problem in our neighborhood and others in the community. Graffiti vandals, also known as taggers deface property, have a negative impact on property values, and make neighborhoods look and feel unsafe. While the government must take steps to stop and punish vandals, we can help by keeping potential graffiti tools out of the hands of juveniles who misuse them.

It is against the law to sell spray paint or wide-tipped markers to persons under the age of 18. As you probably are aware, many youths claim that they steal spray paint and markers from store shelves. This store has joined the National Council to Prevent Delinquency in its efforts to stop graffiti by becoming a Responsible Retailer. We need your help to fulfill our pledge. You can assist in the following ways.

  • First, be sure to check the I.D. of anyone who might be under 18 years of age and is attempting to buy spray paint or wide-tipped marker pens. No proof of age, no sale.
  • Second, look for minors at the shelves where spray paint and wide-tipped markers are displayed. Minors cannot legally purchase these products, so if you see someone behaving suspiciously, check it out or call a supervisor.

If you take the trouble to catch a shoplifter, please be assured that he or she will not simply get a slap on the wrist. This is serious business and we will take it seriously.

Graffiti costs us all because we pay for the clean-up out of our taxes. With your help we can assure that these products do not go from our shelves into the hands of vandals.

If you have any questions about this request, please ask your supervisor or contact me directly. Many thanks.

Sample Community Briefing Paper: RESPONSIBLE RETAILING PROGRAM -- for jurisdictions with no restrictions on sale-to-minors.

(Community briefing paper for jurisdictions with no restrictions on sale-to-minors.)

RESPONSIBLE RETAILING PROGRAM


Over the past several months, graffiti vandalism has increased in our community, costing government, business and property owners thousands of dollars annually. Many citizens and community-based groups are working to stop the vandals and to repair the damage they are causing. Law enforcement personnel report that many graffiti vandals claim to have stolen or "racked" the paint or markers used in their crimes.

Responsible Retailing provides stores with efficient ways to deprive graffiti vandals of the products they misuse to commit property crimes, with minimum inconvenience to legitimate customers.

Responsible Retailing is a combination of in-store activities designed to reduce retail theft of potential graffiti tools. It includes the training of store employees; the strategic placement of in-store signs; and the prudent display of spray paint and markers. Through a new awareness and strengthened self-policing, retailers can constrict the flow of these products into the hands of those who use them in graffiti crimes. Further, by joining the program, participating retailers can curtail costly shoplifting from their stores while demonstrating an active concern for the problems of the community in which they do business.

There are a number of ways that interested citizens can help retailers combat the problem:

  • Help identify all retailers who sell spray paint or markers so that they may be invited to participate in Responsible Retailing.
  • Distribute written program materials to interested retailers.
  • Actively encourage participation in the project by personally contacting retailers who have not yet joined, and by supporting participating retailers with your business dollars.

If you would like to help promote Responsible Retailing or have any questions, please write to the National Council to Prevent Delinquency at P.O. Box 2975, Annapolis, MD 21404.

Sample Community Briefing Paper: RESPONSIBLE RETAILING PROGRAM -- for jurisdictions with ban-on-sale-to-minors.

(Community briefing paper for jurisdictions with ban-on-sale-to-minors.)

RESPONSIBLE RETAILING PROGRAM


Over the past several months, graffiti vandalism has increased in our community, costing government, business and property owners thousands of dollars annually. Many citizens and community-based groups are working to stop the vandals and to repair the damage they are causing. Law enforcement personnel report that many graffiti vandals claim to have stolen or "racked" the paint or markers used in their crimes. Vandals also claim that they have no problem buying spray paint and wide-tipped markers from retail stores.

Responsible Retailing provides stores with efficient ways to comply with the law and deprive graffiti vandals of the products they misuse to commit property crimes, with minimum obstruction of legitimate sales to customers of adult age.

Responsible Retailing is a combination of in-store activities designed to reduce retail theft of potential graffiti tools and to stop the illegal sale of spray paint and wide-tipped markers to customers under the age of 18. It includes the training of store employees; the strategic placement of signs at display and check-out points; and the prudent display of spray paint and markers. Through a new awareness and strengthened self-policing, retailers can constrict the flow of these products into the hands of those who use them in graffiti crimes. Further, by joining the program, participating retailers can curtail costly shoplifting from their stores while demonstrating both a respect for the law and an active concern for the problems of the community in which they do business.

There are a number of ways that interested citizens can help retailers combat the problem:

  • Help identify all retailers who sell spray paint or markers so that they may be invited to participate in the Responsible Retailing Program.
  • Distribute written program materials to appropriate retailers.
  • Actively encourage participation in the program by personally contacting retailers who have not yet joined, and by supporting participating retailers with your business dollars.
  • Notify the police department of violations of the "no-sale-to-minors" law. If you would like to help promote Responsible Retailing or have any questions, please write to the National Council to Prevent Delinquency at P.O. Box 2975, Annapolis, MD 21404.