Under the law, graffiti is criminal damage, and the maximum sentence is ten years in prison, so the gang got off lightly. One member got nine months, one six months and one, who was under 18, got six months in a youth detention centre.
The prosecuting barrister said that they had caused ￡150,000 worth of damage to the railways. He said "It's not simply tagging with marker pens. The scale we are talking about is the entire carriage being daubed."
In contrast, the judge said the gang were talented artists, he didn't want to give them a custodial sentence, and would be as lenient as he could. After looking at photographs of their graffiti, he called it a portfolio to be proud of.
It's difficult to speak about graffiti, without making it clear whether you like it or hate it. The prosecuting barrister talked about vandalism and damage to property. He used the word 'daub', which means to apply colour without any skill or artistry.
Meanwhile the judge's words all show he sees their graffiti as art - a portfolio is a professional artist's collection of work, and the judge repeatedly used the word talent and talented.
Local councils in Britain spend a lot of money every year removing spray-painting, because many people complain it makes an area feel unsafe and run-down. However, research in 2008 showed that people were willing to tolerate some graffiti. They were more likely to report it as vandalism if they saw it as 'low quality' or offensive.
But the research also showed that even when graffiti was accepted and valued as community art, it was often sprayed over by another graffiti writer in time, and people then saw that as vandalism.
Quiz 測驗 1. According to the article, do all British people feel the same about graffiti?
No. Some see it as art and some as criminal damage or vandalism.
2. What is the maximum sentence for graffiti?
10 years in prison.
3. Who described the gang's graffiti as daubing not art?
The prosecuting barrister.
4. Is the following statement true, false or not given? People are more likely to report graffiti if it is offensive.
This is true.
5. Which word, used in the article, means an artist's collection of work, used to show their talent?
Portfolio.
Glossary 词汇表 vandalism破壞公物的行為 graffiti塗鴉 judge法官 gang（犯罪）團伙 sent them to prison送他們入獄 criminal damage刑事損害 maximum sentence最高刑罰 got off lightly（被）從輕判決 got nine months被判九個月的徒刑 youth detention centre少年拘留所 prosecuting barrister起訴律師 tagging標注 carriage車廂 daubed（隨意）塗抹 custodial sentence監禁刑罰 lenient寬鬆的 portfolio作品集 artistry藝術技巧 local councils地方（政府）理事會 spray-painting噴漆 rundown狀況差的，衰退的 report報告 offensive冒犯無禮的
