NCJ Number
58566
Date Published
1978
Length
46 pages
Annotation
THE FIRST VOLUME OF A STUDY OF VANDALISM IN NAVAL BACHELOR ENLISTED QUARTERS (BEQ) SUMMARIZES THE EXTENT, KINDS OF DAMAGE ENCOUNTERED, AND ITS COST TO THE NAVY. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS ELIMINATION ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
VANDALISM HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS AMONG THE 99,000 SAILORS BERTHED ON THE 130 STATESIDE NAVAL BASES. IN 1976, THE 179,000 INCIDENTS OF VANDALISM REPORTEDLY COST THE NAVY NEARLY $8 MILLION. IT WAS FURTHER SHOWN THAT ONLY 35 (OR 27 PERCENT) OF THE BASES STUDIED ACCOUNTED FOR 90 PERCENT OF THE COST OF VANDALISM ON ALL BASES. OVER 57 PERCENT OF THE NAVYWIDE COST FOR BEQ MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS WAS SPENT ON VANDAL-RELATED DAMAGES. AT ITS CURRENT RATE, VANDALISM WILL ACCOUNT FOR 48 PERCENT OF THE NAVY'S PROJECTED CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 1979. TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, EXTENT, AND COSTS OF VANDALISM, RESEARCHERS STUDIED EXISTING LITERATURE, INTERVIEWED KEY PERSONNEL, ANALYZED PERTINENT DOCUMENTS, AND DISTRIBUTED HIGHLY STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRES, MADE ONSITE VISITS, AND RELIED ON COMPUTER-BASED STATISTICAL PROGRAMS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (SPSS) TO TABULATE THE DATA COLLECTED. ACCIDENTAL DESTRUCTION OF FAULTY OR WORN FIXTURES WAS CONSIDERED A TYPE OF VANDALISM. BEQ MANAGERS BELIEVED VANDALISM CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO SIX PRIMARY CAUSES OF MOTIVES INCLUDING (1) ACCIDENTAL, (2) ANGRY OR MALICIOUS, (3) INTENTIONAL BUT NOT MALICIOUS, (4) WORN OUT FIXTURES, (5) STOLEN, AND (6) THEFT-RELATED DAMAGE. DAMAGE TO 47 BUILDING ELEMENTS WAS REPORTED; HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING FIVE ELEMENTS ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY 55 PERCENT OF ALL COSTS INCURRED: (1) DOORS AND DOOR FRAMES, (2) CEILINGS, (3) WINDOW SCREENS, (4) DOOR HARDWARE, AND (5) VENDING MACHINES. HIGHER VANDALISM COSTS OCCURRED ON BASES HAVING MORE MEN AND MORE BERTHING SPACE, BASES HAVING LARGE TRANSIENT POPULATIONS, OR BASES WHERE BEQ MANAGERS DID NOT ATTEND BEQ MANAGER TRAINING SCHOOL OR HAD LITTLE EXPERIENCE (LESS THAN 1 YEAR). CONVERSELY, IT WAS SHOWN LOWER VANDALISM COSTS WERE INCURRED ON BASES WHERE COMMANDING OFFICERS PERSONALLY CONDUCTED INSPECTIONS MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR, AND WHERE HOST COMMANDS CONDUCTED ALL INSPECTIONS. THE STUDY RECOMMENDS THAT SEVERAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ANTIVANDALISM RENOVATION, INCREASED HABITABILITY, AND BETTER MANAGEMENT, BE IMPLEMENTED ON BASES WITH THE GREATEST VANDALISM PROBLEMS. ALSO, THESE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY ON ONE BASE TO DEMONSTRATE THE PROGRAM'S FEASIBILITY. VOLUMES 2 AND 3 OF THE STUDY FOCUS ON CONCEPTS FOR REMEDIAL PROGRAMS TO COMBAT VANDALISM AND PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. CHARTS AND STATISTICS ARE INCLUDED. VOLUME 3 OF THE STUDY CAN BE LOCATED AS NCJ 57950. (TWM)