Crack Down on the Graffiti Problem

Graffiti is a big problem in the US. More than 7 billion US dollars is spent each year to clean it up. Here are some ways cities are cracking down:

1. In some places it is against the law to sell spray paint to kids.
2. Graffiti fighters patrol train tunnels, bridges and other popular spots, setting up bright lights, fences and sprinkler systems. Bushes are planted around walls and bridges to make it harder for artists to spray their designs.
3. Walls can be coated with a waxy substance that markers can not write on. Subway cars and others smooth surfaces can be covered with a material that wipes off easily.
4. Some cities have “free walls” for graffiti artists to paint on legally.
5. Kids who are caught writing graffiti are forced to spend Saturdays painting over graffiti and cleaning up alleyways.