The Band-Aid Approach

By focusing resources on seemingly minor infractions like graffiti, some cities hope to discourage more widespread criminal behavior.

1 minute read

January 14, 2006, 7:00 AM PST

By David Gest

"Whatever your viewpoint, graffiti is a big problem in Tucson...'This city would be a mess without our program,' says Michelle Phillips, executive director of the Graffiti Abatement Program in Tucson, in an e-mail. 'GAPIT is a seven-day-a-week operation, and without it, you would not recognize your city,' she says. GAPIT Community Program Director Beki Quintero says their job is to 'cover hate with love, repairing a hurt done to the city. We're the Band-Aid effect. Someone hurts the wall, we fix it -- often over and over again.'"

FULL STORY: Tucson Tagging

Thursday, January 12, 2006 in Tucson Weekly

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