Graffiti is a crime. It is also a powerful form of communication and activism and one of the few truly American art forms, brought-up in the streets of New York City and Philadelphia. These days, graffiti has become a part of mainstream culture, from the MoMA to MTV. Graffiti writers, and those who have been inspired by graffiti, hold down good jobs in creative industries like the arts and advertising, fashion, design, education and almost every other walk of life. From clothing labels and street life-style brands to artists like Banksy and Swoon, it's undeniable that graffiti has made a valuable and accepted economic and cultural impact in our contemporary lives. Then why are graffiti writers currently facing jail terms in NYC for up to seven years for writing their names on walls, when most of their art could be cleaned up with a fresh coat of paint? Vandalism should not be legal, but graffiti artists should not be in prison, at the cost of millions of dollars per year to the taxpayers of New York, when they could otherwise could make a valuable contribution to society. The punishment does not fit the crime. Furthermore, the NYPD and New York City politicians target minorities and individuals from low-income families in order to meet vandalism conviction quotas and create quality-of-life distractions. By bailing-out a graffiti writer and helping them find a network of legal support you enable them to better understand their rights and build a fair legal defense. Do you like graffiti and street art in NYC? Are you a writer who has made a few dimes and wants to give back? Are you a company that has profited from styles that originated in the street? Do you want to support the creative arts or a fair legal justice system? If the answer is "YES", please give us your support and send the criminal justice system a message. Together we can bail out every graffiti writer in NYC.

graffitijailbreak.org