NCJ Number
53092
Date Published
1978
Length
21 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF SELF-REPORTED VANDALISM AMONG 584 MALES, AGED 11-15, ATTENDING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN A CITY IN NORTHERN ENGLAND IS DOCUMENTED.
Abstract
SAMPLING AND SURVEY PROCEDURES ARE DESCRIBED. FINDINGS ARE REPORTED ON THE EXTENT OF INVOLVEMENT IN VANDALISM AND OTHER DELINQUENCY, PEER GROUP AND PARENTAL INFLUENCES, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VANDALISM AND ATTITUDES TOWARD SCHOOL. RELATIVELY PETTY VANDALISM (BREAKING BOTTLES IN THE STREET AND WINDOWS IN EMPTY HOUSES) IS WIDESPREAD: THREE OUT OF FOUR BOYS ADMITTED COMMITTING SUCH ACTS AT LEAST ONCE IN A 6-MONTH PERIOD. ABOUT ONE IN FOUR REPORTED MORE SERIOUS ACTS (E.G., DAMAGING PHONE BOOTHS, PUBLIC TOILETS, OR BUS SEATS). BOYS WHO WERE HIGHLY INVOLVED IN VANDALISM TENDED TO BE INVOLVED IN OTHER FORMS OF DELINQUENCY AS WELL, ESPECIALLY, THEFT. EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT IN VANDALISM WAS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE HABIT OF SPENDING LEISURE TIME HANGING OUT ON THE STREETS WITH YOUTHS WHO VALUE 'TOUGHNESS.' SOME PARENTS APPARENTLY WERE INFLUENTIAL IN DISCOURAGING THEIR SONS FROM BECOMING INVOLVED WITH STREET GANGS. MOST OF THE SUBJECTS WHO REPORTED EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT IN VANDALISM ALSO DISLIKED SCHOOL AND PLANNED TO LEAVE SCHOOL AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT, AT LEAST IN THEORY, IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOLING AND IN LEISURE OPPORTUNITIES COULD HELP TO PREVENT VANDALISM AND DELINQUENCY. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)