NCJ Number
48350
Date Published
1977
Length
166 pages
Annotation
AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, ABBREVIATED TRANSCRIPTS OF TESTIMONY, AND APPENDED RELATED MATERIALS FROM TWO LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS ON SCHOOL VANDALISM ARE GIVEN. SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL ANTIVANDALISM PROGRAMS ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE HEARINGS WERE HELD IN LOS ANGELES AND IN SAN FRANCISCO IN DECEMBER 1977. MOST OF THE WITNESSES AGREED ON TWO CENTRAL POINTS: THAT SCHOOL CRIME IS SERIOUS, AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE INADEQUACY OF THE AVAILABLE DATA, NO ONE KNOWS ITS TRUE NATURE AND EXTENT. CURRENT METHODS FOR SECURING DATA WERE SEVERELY CRITICIZED BECAUSE INCIDENT COUNTS DO NOT TELL HOW MANY OFFENDERS WERE INVOLVED, WHO THE OFFENDERS WERE, OR WHAT THEIR MODUS OPERANDI WAS. THE COMMITTEE DID RECEIVE SOME GENERAL STATISTICS. IN 1975, THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORTED $4 MILLION IN VANDALISM-RELATED LOSSES, DOUBLE THAT FOR 1972, WITH $3 MILLION BEING SPENT FOR ALARMS AND $5 MILLION SPENT FOR SOME 300 SECURITY PERSONNEL. OTHER WITNESSES DETAILED THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF THIS 'ARMED CAMP' SYNDROME ON BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL ANTIVANDALISM PROGRAMS WERE DESCRIBED. INCLUDED WERE THE OPEN ROAD'S STUDENTS INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM, THE OAKLAND, CALIF., STUDENT INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM, THE SAN JOSE SCHOOLS' USE OF OFF-DUTY POLICE FOR COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE, AND A SAN FRANCISCO PREVENTION TEAM TO HELP STUDENTS IN TROUBLE. THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT DESCRIBED AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WHICH REDUCED REPAIR COSTS FROM $40,000 PER YEAR BEFORE 1972 TO LESS THAN $20,000 ANNUALLY. UNDER THIS PROGRAM A SCHOOL RECEIVES $1 PER CHILD TO SPEND FOR ANY PROJECT DESIRED. A STUDENT COMMITTE DECIDES HOW THE MONEY IS TO BE SPENT. ANY VANDALISM COSTS ARE DEDUCTED FROM THE FUND. THIS LED TO STUDENT POLICING AND STUDENT EFFORTS TO APPREHEND OFFENDERS AND MAKE THEM PAY RESTITUTION. THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ALSO RECEIVED SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC CHANGES IN THE LAW, PARTICULARLY THE SECTION WHICH REQUIRES THAT ONLY A VICTIM OR WITNESS CAN ARREST FOR THAT MISDEMEANOR. THIS RESULTS IN A CHILD BEING REQUIRED TO ARREST ANOTHER CHILD. OTHERS URGED RESTITUTION AS PART OF THE PENALTY FOR MISDEMEANORS AND MANDATORY TRAINING FOR SCHOOL SECURITY PERSONNEL. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ANTIVANDALISM PROGRAMS, AND A SECURITY SURVEY ARE APPENDED. SEE NCJ-48349 FOR VOLUME 2 (GLR)