RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENT ATTITUDES AND VANDALISM IN URBAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

• NCJ Number: 65229
• Author(s): M E HARRIS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 207 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SPECIAL PRICES FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY AT TWO URBAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS (LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIF.) WERE STUDIED TO DETERMINE ATTITUDINAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A SCHOOL WITH HIGH VANDALISM AND ONE WITH LOW VANDALISM.

Abstract

THE STUDY POPULATION INCLUDED THE ENTIRE FACULTY AND 100 RANDOMLY SELECTED 9 GRADERS AT EACH SCHOOL. NINTH GRADERS WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE OTHER LITERATURE CITED THEM AS THE AGE GROUP MOST INVOLVED WITH VANDALISM. THE SCHOOLS WERE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF THREE CONSECUTIVE ANNUAL VANDALISM REPORTS. ONE SCHOOL CONSISTENTLY EXPERIENCED THE GREATEST REDUCTION IN SCHOOL VANDALISM IN THE DISTRICT WHILE THE OTHER HAD THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF VANDALISM. THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY QUESTIONNAIRE. ALSO, ADMINISTRATORS, CUSTODIANS, AND SECURITY GUARDS WERE INFORMALLY INTERVIEWED. AT THE HIGH-DAMAGE SCHOOL, STUDENTS DID NOT HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL. TEACHERS PERCEIVED VANDALISM AS HAVING INCREASED AND DID NOT PERCEIVE THEIR STUDENTS AS BEING RESPECTFUL. THEY VIEWED STUDENTS AS BEING DISLOYAL, LACKING IN SCHOOL SPIRIT, AND UNWILLING TO COOPERATE AND MAKE THE SCHOOL BETTER. PARENTAL CONTACT WITH THE HIGH-DAMAGE SCHOOL WAS USUALLY FORMAL. IN CONTRAST, STUDENT AND TEACHER ATTITUDES AT THE LOW-VANDALISM SCHOOL WERE MAINLY POSITIVE. OTHER FINDINGS CONCERN TEACHER AND STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF VANDALISM AND OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, AND ATTITUDES OF OTHER STAFF. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT (1) THE MAIN DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES CONCERNED INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, (2) POSITIVE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS ACCOUNT FOR LOW VANDALISM, (3) HUMAN RESOURCES ARE MORE POTENT THAN MECHANICAL MEANS FOR DETERRING VANDALISM, AND (4) A PRINCIPAL'S STRONG LEADERSHIP PROMOTES LOW VANDALISM. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SCHOOLS CULTIVATE POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND VALUES, INITIATE GOOD CITIZENSHIP ASSEMBLIES, AND TAKE OTHER MEASURES TO PROMOTE ATTITUDES CONDUCIVE TO LOW VANDALISM RATES. A LITERATURE REVIEW, DISCUSSION OF CURRENT ANTIVANDALISM TECHNIQUES, TABLES, AND APPENDIXES PRESENTING STUDY INSTRUMENTS, STUDY RESULTS AND RELATED DATA ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)