Vandalism in Schools

Vandalism is a willful degradation of the environment with no apparent motivation of profit or gain, the results [Page 1054]of which are considered as damage by the perpetrators as well as by the victim in relation to the social norms that are applicable in any particular situation. Vandalism is associated with monetary costs as well as social costs. Monetary costs are obvious as schools spend millions of dollars each year to repair or replace the willful damage that school vandals cause. Social cost is more complex and has an impact on education program, has psychological impact on students, and disruptive impact on intergroup relations. Clearly, vandalism is a very important topic and is a cause for concern for school leaders at a time when dollars for education are scarce.

Some acts of vandalism are intentional and malicious. Other acts that result in property damage or property disfigurement are not intentional, but rather may be a consequence of thoughtlessness and carelessness.

The two major categories of vandalism are school defacement and property damage. Examples of defacement are writing, painting, and drawing or graffiti on school buildings or property. Examples of property damage include breaking windows, equipment, and plumbing.

There is no single factor that fully explains school vandalism. Sociologists have found that there are many reasons other than dissatisfaction with school or education that cause vandalism. The causes are complex and at times interrelated. Society, the individual vandal, the school, and family are among the causal factors of school vandalism. The Safe Schools Study (1987), in examining the nature of vandalism, sociopsychological characteristics of vandals, and the schoolhome environment, revealed that the amount of school damage and vandalistic behavior were related to lowsocioeconomic community status, low level of personal identification with the schools, inadequate administration, and poor relations among teachers, administrators, and students.

It is mostly middle school or junior high students that commit acts of school vandalism. However, the “typical” school vandal does not exist. There are six types of vandals: (a) the vindictive, who carry a grudge against a particular teacher or other staff member; (b) the malicious, who commit vandalism out of sheer deviltry; (c) the ideological, who wish to dramatize some particular stance or cause; (d) the acquisitive, who combine destruction with theft; (e) the bored, who have few constructive outlets for their energy; and (f) the frustrated, who for one reason or another see the neighborhood school as a symbol of a society that is callously indifferent to their needs and aspirations.

There are many theories and recommendations on reducing school vandalism. Most deal with physical environment analysis of school sites prone to frequent vandalism, promotion of positive school climate and training in conflict resolution of school staff and students, and involvement of the community.