Three Ideological Orientations in School Vandalism Research

Abstract

School vandalism is one of the major problems threatening the educational system of various western countries. We review the literature on this topic and point out some of the difficulties that hamper a thorough understanding of this social phenomenon. We emphasize those strategies that have been found to be successful in reducing the incidence of this offence. We interpret the available information in terms of three ideological orientations: conservative, liberal, and radical, each of which can be shown to result in effective policies. The choice as to which strategy to employ on a national basis thus depends less on its proven efficacy than on the values and attitudes of those concerned with the problem. Hence, we argue that future investigations into school vandalism must adopt an “action research” approach, that is, research that continually assesses the effect that certain manipulations have on a specific school system. Representatives of all interested parties (teachers, parents, and students) must decide with the principal which particular strategy changes the existing conditions most favorably for all concerned.