Youth Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday stressed that new government plans to crack down on graffiti writers must distinguish between artists and vandals.
''We must consider harsher sanctions to hit people who commit acts of vandalism, but it's essential to be able to distinguish (artists from vandals) otherwise we run the risk of criminalising an entire generation,'' she said.
The minister said she had started talking to the most important figures of Italian 'street art' on how best to go about making the differentiation.
She added that she will also meet ANCI, a national association representing mayors and municipal councils, to discuss making walls and spaces available for graffiti artists.
Parliamentary sources last week said the government is planning to crack down on graffiti writers who spoil monuments, buildings and public transport vehicles, threatening jail terms and stiff fines.
In an amendment to the government's public safety bill being discussed in parliament, graffiti writers caught for a second offence would face a possible jail term of six months to two years and fines ranging from 1,500 to 10,000 euros.
A first-time offender nabbed while defacing an important monument or historical building would face a jail term of three months to a year, the sources said.
Graffiti are ubiquitous in Italy's major cities, where there is scarcely a street untouched by paintings or, more commonly, scribblings and tags.
Some local authorities, like the City of Rome, have launched crackdowns on the vandals whose work costs the state and city councils time and money in clean-up jobs.
Most young Italian writers believe they cannot be stopped, and say that writing in illegal places, where drawings and slogans will be conspicuous, is part of the thrill.
The alleged art form has deep roots in Italy. Early graffiti - literally ''scratchings'' - have been found on ancient Roman walls and monuments.
Surveys have shown that for the majority of Italian youngsters, graffiti represent a form of art and not an act of vandalism.
Many see it as a legitimate form of self-expression which improves the appearance of walls, particularly in remote or abandoned urban areas.
