This is an interesting challenge, and as such I'd suggest a range of responses is necessary. Graffiti is not only a problem for those who are left to clean it up - it is also terribly detrimental to those who engage in the activity. When I was growing I knew some kids who got involved in graffiti. These boys should have had no reason to be anti-social, they all came from upper middle class families, they were all being given a very expensive education a St Patricks in Sydney yet - as the last commentator mentioned - they were not engaging with, or valuing their local community.

The result was mess on the walls, for sure, but for the boys and their families it was far worse, as their invovlement with graffiti lead to an involvement with drug, which lead to an involvement in petti crime, assult and robbery, assult with a weapon, jail and a serious drug dependancy. For their families it was a tragedy which continues through to the present day.

Like the last commentator I think the key lies in engaging kids with their local community, but I think the more creative we are about this involvment the better. You can't just force kids to do this or do that - clean up here, plant a tree there - the sorts of kids who do graffiti will find a way out of it, and on to the streets again.

I think we should look at a more creative response to a very serious problem.

Why do we tolerate so much paid advertising on the walls of our community, but not encourage more opportunities for artistic expression. I find much outdoor adversting just as ugly and just as noisey as graffiti, and would like to see much of it replaced with murals.

Kids with an artistic bent will value their community far more if they are involved in makeing it a more beautiful place to be - and won't deface it because by participating in community projects they develop a sense of ownership and pride.

Why not replace outdoor advertising with corporate sponsored community murals? The businesess could have their advertising, the kids could have a chance to express themselves in a healthier enviroment, and the community generally could benefit from a more beautiful and colourful environment.

JV Douglas -

technology writer by trade, luddite by conviction

Have you ever talked to a teenager who does such a "graffiti crime"? What do you think he would say? How would he rationalize his behaviour? No answers, I think.

Why do they do that??? I totally agree with Mr Kerr's standpoint - it is impossible that these kids want to become famous, they can't be famous because they are concidered to be criminals. I think their behaviour is the most visible sign of their aggression against society. "If it is not allowed, then people are against us", a young artist thinks making spray-painted squiggle on the wall...It seems reasonable to show kids that our society needs them, that they are not neglected or ignored. I would say, we even should get more interested in those things that the young find attractive. So why not make graffiti legal in particular places?

First of all, people should understand, what graffity is and why it exists. I won't be surpriesed if many of you say that graffity is a vandalism. But let me disagree. Graffity making and vandalism differ radically. Vandalism is a kind of destructure, but graffity making is a kind of creation. It creates special pictures with a specific maening. Graffity is a sort of urban culture, it can be even called "urban art". It reflects the situations in the society, it can be a way of individual self-expression or protest against policy. To stop graffity means to solve the problems that cause it.

P.S. Banning graffity can't solve the problem of "spoiling private property". Remember that graffity making can be a kind of protest and the more one tries to prohibit it, the more active the protest becomes.

In my opinion graffiti is a form of art. Yes, teenagers who do graffiti has their own seeing of our world. And they create their seeing on the walls, garage doors etc. But the government can`t prevent it. And the main reason, I think, is a generation gap. For most of adults life is work and work is the way of life. They think that graffiti is just a kind of kid`s entertainment. As for me, graffiti is a way of life for teenagers. It`s their way of self-expression.

How can we solve the problem of graffiti? We must speak with teenagers, we must see what the want to tell us with the help of graffiti.

But WE CAN`T SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE HELP OF FORCE. Every human-being has the right for self-expression.

That was very interesting to know what Malcolm Kerr thinks about such a theme as graffiti. Very often we don’t even think about many problems till we are ought to do it. We try not to pay any attention to those facts that don’t concern us. But I’m sure that it is a wrong position. The fact is that these problems can damage our interests some day. That’s why I believe that graffiti is a problem that concerns everyone. It is a sore spot for many people. But I can’t say that I agree with this policy. Are all of these teenagers criminals? I am sure that most of them are very creative people who don’t even think that their creative work is a kind of crime. Malcolm is too tough on these “perpetrators”! We have to look for the solution. It is bad, I think, that many of us incline to believe that graffiti is a trifle. Well, from my point of view the government must give more opportunities for such kind of artistic expression. It is surely right that graffiti as a kind of art. Why don’t we have festivals of this art? Moreover I consider that many people would like the walls of their old, not good-looking houses to be painted. We have a lot of deserted parks and squares. They will look much more beautiful! And at the same time we will solve this problem!

Well... I consider it to be erroneous to enforce people to do something without showing HOW it should be done by your own example! Mr. Kerr, c'mon, arrange a huge graffiti festival, invite painters all over the world, tell everyone about the damage that has been made, and try your own hand at drawing graffiti))) You will be closer to people, you know, in this way, and they will respect you for the lack of verbosity and for the presence of real work! Thank you))))

In my opinion it was very interesting to know different points of view about graffiti, especially what Malcolm Kerr thinks about it. As for me, I guess that graffiti is a form of art. A lot of teenagers want to express yourself such a way. But I disagree with the stereotype that many of graffiti painters are criminals. It's nonsense! I think these guys are very talanted and they have their own life position. Graffiti is the most important part of their life. But unfortunately many people don't see all beauty and try to protest against it.