ENVIRONMENTAL INTERVENTION - WORKSHOP - CONFERENCE ON VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IN THE SCHOOLS, APRIL 29 - MAY 1, 1976

• NCJ Number: 35631
• Author(s): S ZEISEL
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 0 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-A-2788-1-A
• Sponsoring Agency: Kansas Governor's Cmtte on Criminal Admin
• Corporate Author: Kansas State University
• Sale Source: Kansas State University; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

VANDALISM IS A CATCH-ALL TERM FOR ALMOST ALL KINDS OF SCHOOL PROPERTY DAMAGE - BY REDEFINING IT AND BY UNDERSTANDING THE ACTIVITIES OF SCHOOL CHILDREN, A LOT OF PROPERTY DAMAGE CAN BE AVOIDED WITH DESIGN AND PLANNING.

Abstract

THE SPEAKER IS A PROFESSOR OF DESIGN AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY WHO WROTE A BOOKLET ENTITLED 'DESIGNING AWAY PROPERTY DAMAGE'. VANDALISM, HE SAYS, AS IT IS NOW USED, CAN BE EITHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY PERPETRATED, AND THE RESULTANT DAMAGE EITHER NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY, OR IT CAN BE FIXED OVER A LONG TERM PERIOD. HIS DEFINITION ALLOWS FOR FOUR TYPES OF VANDALISM. THE FIRST, TRADITIONAL VANDALISM IS CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE REPAIR (SUCH AS A BROKEN WINDOW IN THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE IN THE WINTER). NEXT, MIS-NAMED VANDALISM (UNCONSCIOUS, YET REQUIRING IMMEDIATE REPAIR) MAY TAKE THE FORM OF A BROKEN WINDOW THAT HAD BEEN LOCATED UNWISELY NEAR A BASKETBALL COURT. NON-MALICIOUS VANDALISM, SUCH AS GRAFFITI, IS CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR THAT CAN BE FIXED OVER THE LONG TERM. FINALLY, THERE IS HIDDEN COST MAINTENANCE DAMAGE WHICH IS UNCONSCIOUS, DOES NOT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE REPAIR, AND MAY TAKE THE FORM OF A PATH WORN IN THE GRASS FOR A SHORT-CUT. THE LATTER THREE TYPES ACCOUNT FOR TWO-THIRDS TO THREE-FOURTHS OF THE TOTAL VANDALISM COSTS. THE SOLUTION IS TO TREAT THE SCHOOL AS AN 'ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE' FOR WHICH THE OWNER OR DESIGNER MUST BE RESPONSIBLE AND MUST PLAN FOR THE MISUSE OF THE FACILITIES AS WELL AS THEIR USE. AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY KIDS PLAY AROUND SCHOOLS WILL PROVIDE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO GIVE THEM A BUILDING THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AND RESPONSIVE TO THEIR ACTIVITIES. AN EXAMPLE IS GIVEN OF THE TYPES OF 'PLAY' ACTIVITIES. THERE ARE FORMAL PLAY, PICK-UP GAMES, HANGING OUT, AND 'WATERING HOLE' ACTIVITIES, ALL OF WHICH CAN BE DESIGNED FOR IF THEIR LOCALE CAN BE PREDICTED OR DESIGNED. FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES OF TAPES FROM THE VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM CONFERENCE, SEE NCJ-35621, 35623-35627, 35629-35635, 35637, 35638, AND 35640-35645.