Changing Receptions Toward Graffiti?

After two youths in Manchester were recently busted for graffiti and sentenced to 12 and 15 month sentences, there has been a strong outcry from the community rallying support for the boys. With their sentence comparable to that of violent criminals, the criminality of street art has been put to question. A petition has even been circulated demanding a reduced sentence for the two youths, and in an article on the Guardian’s blog, the author poses an interesting question: When Banksy sells for six figures, should an 18 year old be sentenced to a year in prison for the same ‘crime’?

The Guardian: Is the Public Learning to Love Graffiti?