Graffiti removal programs
Graffiti removal programs are a way young graffiti vandals are made accountable for their behaviour by doing unpaid graffiti removal work in the community. This provides them with a direct consequence for their offending.
How are young offenders assigned to a program?
There are 3 ways that a young graffiti offender can be sent to attend a graffiti removal program:
- Court—a court must make a graffiti removal order for all young offenders aged 12 or over who are found guilty, or plead guilty to a graffiti offence. This order requires them to attend a graffiti removal program for a set number of hours. This will only happen if your child is 12 or over at the time they commit the offence.
- Police referral—if your child admits their guilt to the police, instead of going to court, they can be referred directly to a graffiti removal program for 2 hours. If your child does not complete the program, the police can take further action and this may involve your child facing court proceedings.
- A youth justice conference agreement—if a police officer refers your child to a youth justice conference following an admission of guilt, the conference agreement must include them taking part in a graffiti removal program. This is unless the victim asks for the offence to be dealt with in another lawful way.
How does the program work?
We organise graffiti removal work to be undertaken on the program.
Type of work
Ideally your child will remove their own graffiti; however, this may not always be possible.
Activities that may be undertaken as part of a graffiti removal program include (in order of suitability):
1. removal of the offender’s own graffiti
2. removal of other graffiti
3. work related to graffiti removal
4. other activities to make amends such as cleaning up public areas.
Before your child starts these activities, they will be given information about workplace, health and safety.
Supervision
If your child has been sentenced to a graffiti removal order they will be assigned a youth justice officer to supervise them.
If your child is referred to a graffiti removal program by the police, or is sent to a program as part of a youth justice conference agreement, you may need to supervise their graffiti removal activities yourself. If this is not possible, we will arrange other supervision.
Hours and attendance
The number of hours of graffiti removal work your child must do will depend on how they are referred to a graffiti removal program. If they are sent by the court to a graffiti removal order, it will depend on their sentence. If the police send them, they will do 2 hours of graffiti removal work.
Your child must attend the program and undertake graffiti removal work when they are told to.
If they do not attend they must have a very good reason; they will have to explain their action and may need to provide evidence of why they were unable to attend.
What your child should bring
Your child will be working outside and will need to bring a hat and sunscreen.
They should also bring enough food and water to last the time they will be working on the program on any given day.
Your child will be told if they need to wear protective clothing or use special equipment. This will be supplied by us or the agency in charge of the program if it is required.
What your child should not bring
Your child should not bring:
- alcohol
- drugs
- weapons
- their friends.