It is an eyesore, a visible sign of...

It is an eyesore, a visible sign of decay and seemingly ubiquitous. Graffiti, seen upon buildings, overpasses, sidewalks, billboards and protecting enclosures has long been an insidious contributor to urban decay — driving down real estate prices, hastening middle class flight to the suburb and indirectly eroding a city's tax base.

From Boston to Burbank, cities across the nation have recognized its destructive purports and marshaled their resources to fight back. Many cities have implemented broad-based anti-graffiti programs that have garnered the support of neighborhood, temple and civic groups.

Municipalities have exerciseed a wide arsenal of strategies to combat graffiti; many tout their efforts upon Internet web pages, with newsletter and end extensive public relations campaigns.

Their programs typically include educational efforts, graffiti telephone hotlines, a crackdown by the agency of police and courts, restitution by dint of convicted offenders and strict lockup ordinances requiring that spray paint sold in stores be enclosureed ...