ancient cities

crime control thesis advanced by Wilson and Kelling,
which claimed that signs of physical decay would
lead to neighborhood decline. As a variety of scholars
have emphasized, such a reading of graffiti was
not uncontested and has been privileged over other
possible readings in the service of quite particular
political and economic interests. And, just like graffiti
itself, this particular reading of graffiti as antisocial
has spread from its epicenter in New York City
to other cities where graffiti scenes have emerged.
Prevention Approaches
With the spread of this discourse of graffiti as a
quality of life offense, a variety of measures
Examples of urban graffiti
Source: Erin Monacelli.
Graffiti
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designed to prevent and eradicate graffiti have been
developed and deployed in cities where the existence
of graffiti is defined as a problem for urban
policy. Antigraffiti measures include: new forms of
urban fortification intended to deny graffiti writers
access to strategic spaces; new forms of urban
design and graffiti-proof materials designed to
deny opportunities for graffiti; electronic surveillance
to deter and catch writers; the formation of
specialist graffiti squads by policing agencies;
increased penalties for graffiti writing, including
custodial sentence for repeat offenders in many
jurisdictions; bans on the sale of aerosol paints to
minors, and restrictions on the display of aerosol
paints in shops; rapid removal of graffiti to deter