third of the nation’s 84,000 public schools reported at least one incident

School Vandalism and Break-Ins

of vandalism, totaling 99,000 separate incidents.5
Guide No.35 (2005)
by Kelly Dedel . Graffiti tagging and other forms of defacement often mar school
buildings and grounds.
The Problem of School Vandalism and Break-Ins
These statistics likely fail to reveal the magnitude of the problem.
This guide addresses school vandalism and break-ins, describing the
While the U.S. Department of Education, major education associations,
problem and reviewing the risk factors. It also discusses the associated
and national organizations regularly compile data on school-related
problems of school burglaries and arson. The guide then identifies a
violence, weapons, and gang activity, they do not do so regarding
series of questions to help you analyze your local problem. Finally, it
school vandalism and break-ins. One reason for this may be that
reviews responses to the problem, and what is known about them from
schools define vandalism very differently—some include both
evaluative research and police practice.
intentional and accidental damage, some report only those incidents
The term school vandalism refers to willful or malicious damage to that result in an insurance claim, and some include only those incidents
school grounds and buildings or furnishings and equipment. Specific for which insurance does not cover the costs.6 School administrators
examples include glass breakage, graffiti, and general property may hesitate to report all cases of vandalism, break-ins, or arson
destruction. The term school break-in refers to an unauthorized entry because they view some as trivial, or because they fear it will reflect
into a school building when the school is closed (e.g., after hours, on poorly on their management skills.7 Partially because of the failure to
weekends, on school holidays). report, few perpetrators are apprehended, and even fewer are
prosecuted.8
Related Problems
The lack of consistency in reporting school vandalism and break-ins
School vandalism and break-ins are similar to vandalism and break-ins
means that cost estimates are similarly imprecise. Vandalism costs are
elsewhere, and some of the responses discussed here may be effective
usually the result of numerous small incidents, rather than more-serious
in other settings. However, schools are unique environments; the
incidents. Various estimates reveal that the costs of school vandalism
factors underlying school vandalism and break-ins differ from those
are both high and increasing.9 In 1970, costs of school vandalism in the
underlying similar acts elsewhere, and therefore must be analyzed
United States were estimated at $200 million, climbing to an estimated
separately. Related problems not addressed in this guide include
$600 million in 1990.10 Not only does school vandalism have fiscal
• vandalism in nonschool settings; consequences associated with repairing or replacing damaged or stolen
property and paying higher insurance premiums if schools are not self-
• graffiti (see Guide No. 9 in this series); insured, but it also takes its toll in terms of aspects such as difficulties
• arson; in finding temporary accommodations and negative effects on student,
staff, and community morale.
• school theft by students (e.g., of student backpacks and
wallets); Not all incidents of vandalism and break-ins have the same effect on
the school environment. Again, two useful dimensions for
• school theft by staff (e.g., of equipment); understanding the problem’s impact are the monetary cost (where the
• burglary of retail establishments (see Guide No. 15 in this repair charges are high), and the social cost (where the event has a
series); and significant negative impact on student, staff, and community morale).
Events with high monetary and social costs typically occur less
• burglary of single-family houses (see Guide No. 18 in this frequently than those with low monetary and social costs.11
series).
School break-ins typically fall into one of three categories:
High—Social Cost—Low
• Nuisance break-ins, in which youth break into a school
building, seemingly as an end in itself. They cause little Type I—High Social/High
serious damage and usually take nothing of value. Type II—Low Social/High
Monetary
Monetary
• Professional break-ins, in which offenders use a high level of • Destruction of
skill to enter the school, break into storage rooms containing • Many broken
media center,
expensive equipment, and remove bulky items from the windows
computer lab
scene. They commit little incidental damage and may receive • Cherry bomb(s)
a lot of money for the stolen goods. • Destruction of
dropped in
school records
• Malicious break-ins entail significant damage to the school’s toilet(s)
• Vandalism
interior and may include arson. Offenders sometimes destroy • Vandalism to
rather than steal items of value.1 resulting in school
High— vending machines
closure
While school vandalism and break-ins generally comprise many often- Monetary
trivial incidents, in the aggregate, they pose a serious problem for Cost—Low
Type IV—Low Social/Low
schools and communities, and the police and fire departments charged Type III—High Social/Low
Monetary
with protecting them. Many school fires originate as arson or during an Monetary
act of vandalism.2 Though less frequent than other types of school • Turfed school
• Hate-motivated
vandalism, arson has significant potential to harm students and staff. In grounds*
graffiti
the United Kingdom in 2000, approximately one-third of school arson • Tagger** or
fires occurred during school hours, when students were present, a • Gang-related
conventional
significant proportional increase since 1990.3 graffiti
graffiti
Over the past two decades, concerns about school violence, weapons, • Killing of
• One broken
drugs, and gangs have eclipsed concern and discussion about school classroom animals
window
vandalism, its causes, and possible responses. However, even as
concerns about student and staff safety from violence have become Adapted from Vestermark and Blauvelt (1978)
school administrators’ top priority, vandalism and break-ins continue to
occur regularly and to affect a significant proportion of U.S. schools. *Refers to damage to school grounds caused by vehicles being driven
From 1996 to 1997, the incidence of murder, suicide, rape, assault with across lawns and fields leaving deep tread marks.
a weapon, and robbery at schools was very low.4 In contrast, over one-
 are relatively easy to resell. Students also steal more-mundane items
**Refers to high volume, non-gang graffiti, complex works of street art, such as food and school supplies, for their own use.
and more isolated or spontaneous acts of graffiti.
In addition, youth may participate in school vandalism or break-ins in a
Factors Contributing to School Vandalism and Break-Ins quest for excitement.24 Some communities do not have constructive
activities for youth during after-school hours and in the summer.
Understanding the factors that contribute to your problem will help you Without structured alternatives, youth create their own fun, which may
frame your own local analysis questions, determine good effectiveness result in relatively minor vandalism or major property damage to
measures, recognize key intervention points, and select appropriate schools and school grounds.
responses.
Times
Offender Characteristics
A high proportion of vandalism occurs, quite naturally, when schools
Those who vandalize or break into schools are typically young and are unoccupied—before and after school hours, on weekends, and
male, acting in small groups. Vandalism and break-ins are most during vacations—as well as later in the school week and later in the
common among junior high school students, and become less frequent school year.25 Local factors, such as the community’s use of school
as students reach high school.12 Those involved in school-related arson facilities after hours, may also determine when vandalism is most likely
are more likely to be in high school.13 Many vandals have done poorly to occur in any one school.
academically, and may have been truant, suspended, or expelled.14 As
is typical of many adolescents, students who vandalize and break into Targets
schools have a poor understanding of their behavior’s impact on others, Schools are prime targets for vandalism and break-ins for a number of
and are more concerned with the consequences to themselves.15 reasons:
Offenders are no more likely to be emotionally disturbed than their
peers who do not engage in the behavior, nor are they any more critical • They have high concentrations of potential offenders in high-
of their classes, teachers, or school in general.16 risk age groups.
While the majority of students do not engage in vandalism, they do not • They are easily accessible.
generally harbor negative feelings toward those who do. In other • They are symbols of social order and middle-class values.
words, “vandalism is a behavior that students can perform without the
risk of condemnation by other students.”17 Youth who lack full-time • Some youth believe that public property belongs to no one,
parental supervision during after-school hours have been found to be rather than to everyone.
more involved in all types of delinquency than students whose parents
are home when they return from school.18 In 2002-2003, 25 percent of
all school-aged children were left to care for themselves after school,
including half of children in grades 9 through 12 and one third of
children in grades 6 though 8.19
Though far less frequently, adults sometimes commit school vandalism
and break-ins. Most often, they do so to steal high-value items (e.g.,
computers, televisions, cameras) and sell them on the street.20 Adults
are far less likely to maliciously deface or destroy school property.
Motivations
The typical observer may think school vandalism and break-ins are
pointless, particularly when the offenders have focused on property
destruction and have taken nothing of value. One can better understand
the behavior when considering it in the context of adolescence, when
peer influence is a particularly powerful motivator. Most delinquent
acts are carried out by groups of youths, and vandalism is no exception.
Participating in vandalism often helps a youth to maintain or enhance
his or her status among peers.21 This status comes with little risk since,
in contrast to playing a game or fighting, there are no winners or losers.
Beyond peer influence, there are several other motivations for school
vandalism:
• Acquisitive vandalism is committed to obtain property or
money.
• Tactical vandalism is used to accomplish goals such as
getting school cancelled.
• Ideological vandalism is oriented toward a social or political
cause or message, such as a protest against school rules.
• Vindictive vandalism(such as setting fire to the principal’s
office after being punished) is done to get revenge.
• Play vandalism occurs when youth intentionally damage
property during the course of play.
• Malicious vandalism is used to express rage or frustration.
Because of its viciousness and apparent senselessness, people
find this type particularly difficult to understand.22
As schools have become increasingly technologically equipped, thefts
of electronic and high-tech goods have become more common.23
Computers, VCRs, and DVD players are popular targets because they