May 22, 2006 —The MTA is going to explore using video cameras to crack down on graffiti in subway cars. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

Graffiti and acid-based window etchings known as scratchiti have been a growing concern for the transit system. Arrests are up and the transit authority is spending millions of dollars a year on cleanup costs.

Now, the agency is looking into closed circuit television cameras that could be installed inside subway cars as a deterrent. New York City Transit says it will look at how these cameras are currently used in France and other countries before making any proposals.

But the New York Civil Liberties Union says the use of cameras in trains raises serious privacy concerns. Meanwhile, the agency is also proposing to spend $25 million over the next 3 years for installing and maintaining new subway windows with protective mylar coverings. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.