Abstract
Previous accounts have interpreted opposition to graffiti as a way to normalize state authority and deflect attention away from crises in capitalism. This chapter appreciates the need to connect antigraffiti rhetoric to broader structural forces, but posits that it is more likely a product of neoliberal state-crafting and the desire to commodify space. Neoliberal states are marked by an increased reliance on coercive mechanisms to control the social tensions that accompany growing inequality. Led by landed capitalists, the commodification of space entails enticing corporations to the city, gentrifying neighborhoods, and turning the city into a middle-class tourist destination. Opposition to graffiti provides one mechanism to articulate and normalize these objectives, even though they do not necessarily serve the interests of city residents.
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Notes
- 1.
Erikson, Wayward Puritans (1966).
- 2.
Hall et al., Policing the Crisis (1978).
- 3.
Goode and Ben-Yehuda, Moral Panics (1994).
- 4.
Ferrell, Crimes of Style (1993).
- 5.
Austin, Taking the Train (2001).
- 6.
- 7.
Logan and Molotch, Urban Fortunes (1987).
- 8.
Goode and Ben-Yehuda, Moral Panics, 124–127.
- 9.
Ibid., 127.
- 10.
Ibid., 139.
- 11.
Ibid., 135.
- 12.
Ibid., 138.
- 13.
Erikson, Wayward Puritans (1966).
- 14.
Goode and Ben-Yehuda, Moral Panics, 128.
- 15.
Hall et al., Policing the Crisis (1978).
- 16.
Goode and Ben-Yehuda, Moral Panics, 135–138.
- 17.
Durkheim, Division of Labor (1960).
- 18.
Erikson, Wayward Puritans, 4, 196.
- 19.
Ibid., 69.
- 20.
Ibid., 93.
- 21.
Ibid., 103.
- 22.
Ibid., 171–181.
- 23.
Hall et al., Policing the Crisis (1978).
- 24.
Chambliss and Mankoff, Whose Law? 15–16 (1976).
- 25.
Watney, Policing Desire (1987).
- 26.
Thompson, Moral Panics (1998).
- 27.
Watney, Policing Desire, 42.
- 28.
Ibid., 43, 146.
- 29.
Thompson, Moral Panics, 139–142.
- 30.
- 31.
Pratt and Eriksson, Contrasts in Punishment (2013).
- 32.
Wacquant, Prisons of Poverty, 68.
- 33.
Ibid.
- 34.
Shelden and Brown, “Crime Control Industry,” 45 (2000).
- 35.
The idea of prison and reform being mutually exclusive is a recurrent thread in critical literature on punishment. See, for example, Rusche and Kirchheimer, Punishment and Social Structure (1939/1968); Feeley and Simon, “New Penology” (1992); Kramer, Rajah, and Sung, “Neoliberal Prisons” (2013); Rajah, Kramer, and Sung, “Changing Narrative Accounts” (2014).
- 36.
Much of the material presented in preceding chapters also supports this contention.
- 37.
Browne, “Laser Weapon,” Section 1, 36 (1996).
- 38.
Ibid.
- 39.
Louie, “Graffitibusters!” Section F, 3 (1998).
- 40.
Bruce Pienkny, owner of Graffiti Answers, quoted in Engels, “Graffiti-Cleaning Crew,” Suburban, 2 (2001).
- 41.
Ibid.
- 42.
Perez, “Brush-Off to Graffiti,” Suburban, 1.
- 43.
Ibid.
- 44.
The Task Force unites city agencies that are in any way connected to the “graffiti problem” or its resolution.
- 45.
See the earlier chapter on graffiti in the 1970s and the 1980s.
- 46.
Giuliani Files, “Executive Order No. 24,” (1995c).
- 47.
Giuliani Files, “Anti-Graffiti Expo’ 96” (1996). Document found in the folder listed above. This document lists representatives from 20 city agencies as members of the task force.
- 48.
Onishi, “All He Wrote,” Section 13, 10; Seifman, “Rudy Will Ed-ucate,” 20 (1994).
- 49.
- 50.
Giuliani Files, “Giuliani Continues Assault” (1998).
- 51.
That is, all the city agencies that remove graffiti combined.
- 52.
Giuliani Files, Folder Title: “Police Department – Graffiti” (1996). Location: Folder # 0141; Roll # 60696 (NYC Municipal Archives).
- 53.
Bloomberg Files, “Re-Launch ‘Operation Impact’” (2005a).
- 54.
See the academic critiques of broken windows offered in the previous chapter.
- 55.
It might also be worth noting that contrary to what political elites often claim, indirect evidence suggests that the public are not overly concerned with graffiti. For example, the ratio of noise to graffiti complaints as indicated by calls to 311 is 100 to 1. For noise complaints, see Bloomberg Files, “‘Operation Silent Night’” (2002a); Bloomberg Files, “Our Quality of Life” (2002b). For the “100 to 1” ratio referred to see Editorial, “Shoot Down,” 24 (1997); See also Colangelo, “Noise Bill,” 18 (2005).
- 56.
Logan and Molotch, Urban Fortunes (1987).
- 57.
- 58.
Probation Commissioner Raul Russi quoted in Bertrand, “Graffiti Vandals Unpainting,” Suburban, 1 (1997).
- 59.
Coordinator of the 106th precinct Sal Petrozzino quoted in Lemire, “Graffiti Kids,” Suburban, 1 (2002a).
- 60.
Bloomberg quoted in Saul, “Mike Vows,” Suburban, 1.
- 61.
Bloomberg Files, “Making Our City” (2003e).
- 62.
Economic Development Corporation president Andrew Alper quoted in Bloomberg Files, “Bloomberg Updates Citywide Graffiti” (2003d).
- 63.
City Council member Eric Gioia quoted in Yaniv, “Spray and Wash,” Suburban, 2 (2005).
- 64.
Giuliani Files, “Giuliani Removes Graffiti” (1995b).
- 65.
Giuliani Files, “Anti-Graffiti Expo ’96” (1996).
- 66.
By no means should it be thought that the statement just presented stands in isolation. Rather, its basic message is conveyed with some degree of regularity: “Litter, dirt, vandalism, and graffiti destroy the beauty of our City, discourage business and tourism” [Giuliani Files, “Proclamation to We Care” (1995d)]. And, “Good criminal justice policy is good economic development policy. We are…making the community more hospitable for investment” [Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt quoted in Bloomberg Files, “Queens Plaza Clean-up” (2003b); emphasis added].
- 67.
- 68.
On these points see Sorkin, Variations on a Theme Park (1992); Eco, Travels (1986); Gottdiener, Theming of America, 86–88; Sassen, Global City (2001); Urry, Tourist Gaze (1990). Bloomberg clearly embraces this competitive spirit between cities and, more importantly, the way in which this stance readily accepts that the city is best understood and treated as a commodity: “New York is in a fierce, worldwide competition; our strategy must be to hone our competitive advantages. We must offer the best product—and sell it, forcefully.” Also, “To oversee our promotion and marketing efforts, we’ll establish a chief Marketing Officer for the city…we’ll take advantage of our brand” [Bloomberg Files, “Bloomberg Delivers 2003” (2003a)].
- 69.
- 70.
Giuliani Files, “Anti-Graffiti Expo ’96” (1996).
- 71.
Smith, New Urban Frontier (1996).
- 72.
Most people in New York City do not own property. According to the 2000 census, only 30.2 % of New York City’s population owns their own home, which is about half the national average.
- 73.
Zukin, Landscapes of Power (1991); Massey and Denton, American Apartheid (1993). On Business Improvement Districts, see Mitchell, Right to the City (2003); Sites, Remaking New York (2003); Stokes, “Business Improvement Districts” (2006); Walsh, “Union Square Park” (2006); Ward, “‘Policies in Motion’” (2006).
- 74.
Smith, New Urban Frontier (1996).
- 75.
- 76.
Logan and Molotch, Urban Fortunes (1987).
- 77.
Bloomberg Files, “Bloomberg Delivers 2003” (2003a). It is worth noting that there are many moments in the political discourse under scrutiny where the importance of being business-friendly is emphasized. The following examples are illustrative: “We’re also getting our economy back on track by making New York a more attractive place for major corporate employers” [Bloomberg Files, “Neighborhood by Neighborhood” (2003e)]; “We’re making New York business-friendly. That means creating the infrastructure needed for economic growth [Bloomberg Files, “State of the City” (2004a)]; “We’re going to invest in economic development projects, make New York the most business-friendly city in the nation…” [Bloomberg Files, “2006 State of the City” (2006)].
- 78.
Logan and Molotch, Urban Fortunes, 85–98; Squires, “Partnership” (2011).
- 79.
Bloomberg Files, “Crime Reduction Strategies” (2005b).
- 80.
Bloomberg Files, “Historic Crime Reduction” (2004b).
- 81.
Bloomberg Files, “Crime Reduction Strategies” (2005b).
- 82.
Squires, “Partnership” (2011).
- 83.
Christie quoted in Worrall, “Rendering Women Punishable” (2002).
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Kramer, R. (2017). Engendering Desire for Neoliberal Penality and the Logic of Growth Machines. In: The Rise of Legal Graffiti Writing in New York and Beyond. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2800-7_6
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