Graffiti artist goes good

Anthony Uranga's spray paint can rattles ... A friend films with a handheld camera while Uranga paints crisp curves ...

Hidden in the mural's snarling lines is the name he's been tagging since he was 13, since before he dropped out of high school in Texas, honed his graffiti style in California ...

The name: Damet (pronounced "damn it"). As in, "Damet, why did I get caught?" Or, "Damet, this painting looks dope!"

He has never been to Chicago before today: March 26, 2004. Two of his three companions are strangers ... He's been working for about 25 minutes...About seven minutes later, he's surrounded by cops ... they find footage from California, Nevada, Arizona, Denver and Oklahoma ...

Nine months later – after fighting to get his trial moved to Texas ... Uranga is sitting in a military-style boot camp in Lompoc ...

Part of the artistic value of graffiti is in the act of rebellion, Uranga says. "No matter how you look at things, graffiti is meant to be illegal," he says. "People have this negative perspective. But it's in apparel, music videos ...

Uranga, now 26, stands in front of about a dozen teenagers in Costa Mesa, their eyes glued on him. ..."Not just anyone can do what we do," he tells them. "To make a straight crisp line with a can is a skill."

Today, these junior high and high school kids will select the nickname they'll paint. Next week, he'll hand out drawings of the alphabet to help them customize their own style ...

He teaches art classes such as the one at Triangle Square, which is sponsored by Mika, a community development corporation that provides activities and a fun place to hang out for low-income kids...

How Does Graffiti "Hurt"?

Graffiti vandals believe their actions harm no one. The reality is graffiti hurts everyone - homeowners, communities, businesses, schools, and you. And, those who practice it risk personal injury, violence, and arrest.

Transportation, property, and retail sales - "Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced ridership on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of gang activity" reports the U.S. Department of Justice.1 The appearance of graffiti is often perceived by residents and passers-by as a sign that a downward spiral has begun, even though this may not be true.

Safety - Patrons of buildings, parks, or public facilities where graffiti vandalism has occurred may feel that if graffiti is tolerated, then other more serious crimes, such as theft and assault, may also go unchallenged.2

Schools and youth - In schools, 52% of public high schools and 47% of middle schools reported incidents of vandalism during the 1996-1997 school years. Data shows little difference between cities, towns, and rural areas.3 Additionally, about 36% of students saw hate-related graffiti at school.4

Clean up costs - Although the cost of graffiti vandalism in the U.S. has yet to be definitively documented, for many communities, private property owners, and public agencies the cost is rising each year.

Figures from a variety of cities across the U.S. suggest that graffiti cleanup alone costs taxpayers about $1-3 per person each year. For smaller communities the amount dedicated to graffiti cleanup annually may be less than $1 per person.

A 2006 survey of the 88 cities, Caltrans and Metro in Los Angeles County on graffiti removal found the cost was about $28 million. With a population of close to 10 million, the per capita cost is about $2.80.5 With a population of just under one million, the City of San Jose, CA spent approximately $2 million in 2006 fighting graffiti.6

For communities with smaller populations, per capita costs are typically under $1.00. Pittsburgh, PA (population just over 300,000) spends around $350,000 annually for graffiti clean up.7 Omaha, NE spends about $100,000 a year on graffiti removal (population just over 400,000).8 In 2006, the Tennessee Department of Transportation spent more than $240,000 on removing graffiti along its roads and bridges.9

Denver, CO and Milwaukee, WI, with similar populations-just over 550,000-each spend about $1 million annually.10 This is a per capita cost of about $1.80. In Houston, TX (population just over 2 million), the city earmarked $2.2 million for cleanup of existing graffiti in 2006.11

Chicago, IL budgeted $6.5 million in 2006 for graffiti removal and Graffiti Blasters, the city's removal program (population a little over 2.8 million).12 This is a per capita cost of around $2.30. Las Vegas, NV with a population of about 1.7 million spends more than $3 million each year cleaning up graffiti.13