NCJ Number
58044
Date Published
1976
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A NATIONAL FOREST RECREATION OFFICER DISCUSSES PROBLEMS IN CONTROLLING VANDALISM IN CALIFORNIA'S OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL AREAS AND OUTLINES APPROACHES TO REDUCING VANDALISM.
Abstract
UP UNTIL THE MID-1960'S, THE ONLY VANDALS IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS OF CALIFORNIA WERE BEARS. SINCE THAT TIME, THE PARKS HAVE EXPERIENCED AN INFLUX OF VISITORS, INCLUDING MANY YOUNG, CITY-ORIENTED PEOPLE WHO ARE UNACCUSTOMED TO BEING SURROUNDED BY NATURE. SOME OF THESE NEW VISITORS HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A WAVE OF VANDALISM, WHICH HAS DESTROYED $336,000 WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FOUR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FORESTS. MUCH OF THE VANDALISM TAKES PLACE DURING THE OFF-SEASON AND IN REMOTE AREAS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO PATROL. PARK RECREATION MANAGERS FIND THEMSELVES INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES AND SOMETIMES FORGET THAT THEIR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO OVERSEE RECREATIONAL RESOURCES. THE MANAGERS MUST BE CERTAIN THAT THEIR EFFORTS TO CONTROL VANDALISM DO NOT PLACE UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS ON PARK USERS. PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PARKS DO NOT ALWAYS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AMONG USER GROUPS. CAMPSITES ARE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE SMALL FAMILY GROUPS, NOT LARGER, EXTENDED-FAMILY OUTINGS. BILINGUAL SIGNS ARE MISSING. EFFORTS TO REDUCE VANDALISM MAY BE CLASSIFIED IN THREE CATEGORIES: (1) PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PROVIDING MAPS AND BROCHURES, ASSIGNING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OFFICERS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, INVOLVING USERS IN ANTILITTER CAMPAIGNS, (2) DIRECT CONTROLS (CONTROLLED ENTRY POINTS, CAMPGROUND CARETAKERS, USER PERMITS), AND (3) FACILITY ENGINEERING (DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTING FACILITIES WITH A VIEW TO DISCOURAGING AND WITHSTANDING VANDALISM). IT IS ALSO HELPFUL FOR PARK EMPLOYEES TO TALK WITH USER GROUPS AND SEEK THEIR COOPERATION IN PREVENTING VANDALISM AND IN REPAIRING DAMAGES. (LKM)