Discusses the types of vandalism and motivating forces behind vandalism, and makes suggestions for alleviating it. The author suggests that physical security measures are high-cost, low-yield items in terms of vandalism reduction. He argues for (1) the development of an information systems model to determine the effectiveness of various crime…

A daily war is waged in schools all over the United States over wall space. Adolescents are using school walls to convey messages, create name recognition, slander each other, or for claiming territorial space. On the other side is the school administration, which paints over and erases these unsanctioned claims to space, power and identity, as it…

A task force was appointed by the California School Boards Association to investigate the increase in violence and vandalism and to recommend courses of action. The task force found four changes in society contributing to the increase: (1) the breakdown of the home and family unit, (2) the lack of self-discipline in children and the absence of…

This booklet was prepared to assist school administrators in developing effective strategies to cope with school violence and vandalism. Various chapters prepared by different authors address different perspectives and aspects of the problem. Topics of the chapters include early prevention, the interagency team concept, management in a team…

Twenty-three California school districts responded to a burglary and vandalism survey conducted by the Fresno Unified School District Burglary and Vandalism Prevention Project, which represents the first phase of a developing program to reduce vandalism occurrences and improve recovery of losses. This summary compiles survey data on 18,000…

This description of the research, the development of state laws, and the origins of practices attempting to restore safe schools suggests that there was a relationship among research, policy, and practice. The Congress of the United States enacted the Safe School Study Act in 1974 to ensure a safe environment for education. In response to this…

This guide has been prepared to assist school districts in self-appraisal of their policies governing discipline and control of violence and vandalism, and also to facilitate the development of new policies by providing model policies and procedures implemented in other school districts. Accordingly, the first section lists guidelines for policies…

Recommendations for preventing school vandalism and theft are provided in this guide. Following an introduction which cites factors related to school violence and steps which can be taken to reduce crime, the following general measures are discussed: (1) firm and fair school discipline including codes of conduct; (2) enforcement against loitering…

California's Proposition 8, known as "The Victims' Bill of Rights," contains a safe-schools provision that states: "All students and staff of primary, elementary, junior high and senior high schools have the inalienable right to attend campuses which are safe, secure and peaceful." Through extended reference to federal and…