OPEG

Imagine being able to call a graffiti offender to clean up graffiti whenever it appears in your neighborhood. You don't paint anything. You don't supervise anybody. All you do is call a graffiti offender who does the work on his or her own.... Well, it's not a dream. Thanks to OPEG, such a program now exists.

Fulfilling community service

The program receives kids from the county probation department for a term of six weeks per kid. The city pays for all the materials and the program organizer sets up the areas. Local supervisors watch for graffiti and call the kids who are responsible for keeping the area clean. All the clean-up supplies are kept at the graffiti sites and there is no need to actually supervise the kid while cleaning the graffiti.

How the Program Works

1. A local volunteer scout meets with a program organizer to define an area
2. The organizer outfits the area
3. A graffiti offender is assigned to the area
4. The organizer gives an orientation to scout and graffiti offender
5. The scout searches for graffiti and calls the graffiti offender whenever any is found
6. The graffiti offender paints over or cleans the graffiti
7. The scout maintains the paint supplies

Getting the word out

Basically, the graffiti offender is responsible for keeping the area free from graffiti, either by cleaning it up after it happens, or by telling his friends not to tag in the area.

OPEG is working in Our Neighborhood

Since its inception, OPEG has provided a near steady stream of graffiti offenders to remove or cover tags in our Brookwood Terrace neighborhood. Today, it is the primary means of graffiti eradication here - and it works. Remember, if you witness graffiti in progress, call the San Jose Police non-emergency number, 277-4222.

For more information, write: OPEG, 801 N. First Street, Suite 600, San Jose CA 95110.

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