NCJ Number
49509
Date Published
1977
Length
34 pages
Annotation
THE PROBLEM OF SCHOOL VANDALISM PREVENTION IS EXAMINED, WITH ATTENTION TO IDENTIFYING VANDALS AND THEIR TARGETS, PROTECTION DEVICES (I.E., ALARMS, LOCKS, INSURANCE), AND DEVELOPING PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND DESIGN SOLUTIONS.
Abstract
ESTIMATES OF THE PRECISE COST OF SCHOOL VANDALISM VARY WIDELY, BUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM IS BEYOND DISPUTE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET A GENERAL IDEA OF THE NATURE AND MOTIVATION OF MOST VANDALS AND, IN DOING SO, BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM AND DEVISE SOLUTIONS FOR IT. THERE ARE TWO BASIC APPROACHES TO VANDALISM PREVENTION. THE LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT INDICATES THAT MOST PROGRAMS TRY TO DETER VANDALISM BY TAKING DEFENSIVE STEPS THAT MAKE SCHOOLS LESS VULNERABLE TO THE DESTRUCTIVE INTRUDERS. DETERRENT PROGRAMS TREAT VANDALISM SYMPTOMATICALLY, USUALLY BY EMPHASIZING IMPROVED SCHOOL SECURITY. THE PROBLEM WITH SUCH MILITARISTIC TACTICS ARE TWO-FOLD. FIRST, THEY THREATEN TO DESTROY THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT BY CHANGING THE FUNCTION OF THE SCHOOL FROM EDUCATING CHILDREN TO WINNING A SELF-ESCALATING WAR. SECOND, THE HIGH-SECURITY APPROACH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND COSTLY. THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH IS TO TREAT THE CAUSES. THE KEY TO SUCH A PROGRAM IS TO INVOLVE PEOPLE IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES TO COMBAT THE SENSE OF ALIENATION AND INDIFFERENCE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF MOST VANDALISM, AND TO UTILIZE DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE THE COSTS OF PROPERTY DAMAGE CAUSED BY NONMALICIOUS VANDALISM (I.E., DESTRUCTION THAT IS AN UNINTENDED BY-PRODUCT OF SOME ACTIVITY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---KBL)