NCJ Number
57454
Journal
Police Volume: 11 Issue: 8 Dated: (APRIL 1979)
Date Published
1979
Length
3 pages
Annotation
OPPOSING MUCH CURRENT OPINION, THIS BRITISH SPEECH CLAIMS THAT VANDALISM WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY COMBATTED ONLY BY MORE EFFECTIVE POLICING AND SURER PUNISHMENTS, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE INNER CITIES.
Abstract
MODERN LIFE IS MARKED BY BROKEN COMMUNITIES IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE ONLY FOR THEMSELVES. SINCE SO MANY ARE UNWILLING TO ASSUME CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES, VANDALISM WILL NOT BE BEST FOUGHT BY EXPECTING PEOPLE TO BECOME BETTER CITIZENS AND ROOT IT OUT THEMSELVES. NOT SURPRISINGLY, VANDALISM IS WORST IN INNER CITIES, WHERE COMMUNITY LIFE IS MOST FRAGMENTED. ALTHOUGH IT IS BEST FOUGHT HERE BY LARGE NUMBERS OF POLICE WORKING PREVENTIVE PATROLS, MANPOWER SHORTAGES HAVE HAMPERED POLICE EFFECTIVENESS AS HAVE OWNERS OF ESTATES WHO WITHDRAW THEIR OWN CARETAKERS AND EXPECT POLICE TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY. RECENT CHANGES IN POLICE BENEFITS ARE HELPING TO END THE SHORTAGES, BUT A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM REMAINS IN SOCIETY'S REFUSAL TO TAKE VANDALISM SERIOUSLY. SINCE MOST VANDALS ARE YOUTHS, PUNISHMENT IS LESS FREQUENT AND STRICT THAN FOR OTHER CRIMINALS. YET VANDALISM OFFERS THE COURTS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE PUNISHMENTS FIT CRIMES, SINCE VANDALS CAN BE SENTENCED TO HELP CORRECT DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED. PUBLIC AUTHORITIES CAN HELP BY CLOSING FREQUENTLY-VANDALIZED PUBLIC FACILITIES RATHER THAN ROUTINELY REPAIRING THEM, AND PRIVATE CITIZENS CAN REPORT AND TAKE AN INTEREST IN INSTANCES OF THE CRIME. FINALLY, POLICE AND OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOULD PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE IN PREVENTING AND PROSECUTING VANDALISM. (PAP)