Despite sometimes being considered unworthy of scholarly attention, the study of toilet graffiti, also known as latrinalia, has nevertheless garnered increasing interest among researchers. Graffiti writing still suffers from the stigma of being associated with transgression, vandalism, and a deviant subculture. However, findings from this study…

This paper presents findings from a study of students' writings about the erotic. These occurred in the form of graffiti and were scrawled on toilet doors for female students attending a higher education institution in Malta. The study explores how the erotic was defined and perceived by students, and how they attempted to create alternative…

Respect for oneself, for one another, for property and for the world is needed within the global context. In line with global trends, the South African government has consistently included these principles in its policy documents over the last 20 years. While media reports suggest that the behaviour of learners, specifically in secondary schools,…

This article describes the use of an observation system to measure middle school staff practices, environment characteristics, and student behavior in the school common areas. Data were collected at baseline from 18 middle schools participating in a randomized controlled trial of school-wide Positive Behavior Support. The observations were…

In 2004 South Africa embarked on a mission of reforming its higher education system, merging and incorporating small universities into larger institutions, and renaming all higher education institutions university. The democratic country's universities and technikons, which were incorporated with others and thus no longer exist, will be mentioned…

This study presents an aesthetic theory of school vandalism and reports on nine original empirical studies that are relevant to the theory. It is proposed that the act of destroying an object is very enjoyable because it is, in effect, an aesthetic experience. The theory posits that the variables accounting for positive hedonic value associated…

In a three-year study, 20 schools from 12 districts tested strategies on reducing vandalism. The results showed that inappropriate student behavior decreased each year, leading to the conclusion that educators can act to reduce vandalism and inappropriate student behavior. (Author/WD)

Summarizes research on the causes of school vandalism, especially connection with educational environment. Suggests ways (with examples) for schools to prevent vandalism. Describes three core principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. (PKP)

Israeli students (N=600) responded to a questionnaire dealing with motives for participating in vandalism. Factors accounting for such motivation included perceived level of vandalism at school, attitude toward school, attitude toward teacher, and school anxiety. Punishment, father's level of education, sense of hope, and class level had no effect…

Twenty-eight elementary and secondary principals responded to a questionnaire about their perceptions of vandalism as a problem, the growth rate of vandalism, types and locations of damage, types of vandalism records kept and reports made, and perceived effectiveness of different prevention measures. A model vandalism report form is appended. (SJL)

A survey instrument to access the statewide impact of school vandalism was sent to every public school district in New Jersey. Information was requested on (1) vandalism costs by categories; (2) comparisons on the costs and incidents of vandalism for the years 1972-73, 1973-74 and 1974-75; (3) location and occurrence of vandal acts; (4) methods,…

Identifies laws from 36 states responding to school crime and violence in the following categories: (1) assault, battery, and related violent crime; (2) illicit drugs; (3) possession of weapons; (4) vandalism and damage to school property; and (5) miscellaneous statutes. Draws policy implications for states. (102 footnotes) (MLF)

This paper examines national data from the early 1970s to the mid 1980s in order to identify trends in student and teacher victimization in schools. All the student and teacher victimization data reviewed in this paper contradict the notion of a progressive worsening of the school crime problem. Assault statistics showed little change, robberies…

In response to a legislative mandate to gather statistics on school-related crime in California public schools, the state department of education prepared this preliminary report based on survey data reported by 914 California school districts covering the period from September 1, 1980, to February 1, 1981. During this period 105,328 incidents of…