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Vandalism is defined as the "willful damage of property". It is an intentional violation of something owned by others. Vandalism can also be considered a form of expression. Acts that one may view as destructive can be beautiful and socially important according to somebody else. The typical vandal is male and between the ages of 12 and 18 years old.
Forms of Vandalism:
Littering
Breaking windows
Spray painting private property (rocks, bridges, buildings, freeway signs)
Carving initials into trees
Knocking over gravestones
Smashing mailboxes
Defacement of a church, synagogue, school or other educational facilities
Fly Posting (advertisements/announcements placed on buildings or street furniture without the consent of the property owner
Graffiti
Graffiti comes in different forms and is seen worldwide. The following are the different forms that graffiti can take:
Wall scrawl/writing
Scribbling
Defacement/disfigurement
Crude mural
Street art
Willful destruction
Destruction of property
Vandalism
There are groups of people who believe this type of representation is destruction and detracts from the beauty of their community. Graffiti in the form of an artistic mural is often used to enhance the attractiveness of a city. Vandalism is the actual destruction of property, which can come in the form of spray painting a wall, but can also be as simple as destroying an individual’s mailbox, dumping trash on a person’s lawn, etc. Laws that define what is and what is not vandalism are different in each state. Not following these rules can lead to a misdemeanor or a felony on a person’s record.
3 Types of Graffiti:
Hate Crime Graffiti - this is the rarest type of graffiti characterized by personal or group racism or prejudice
Gang Graffiti - members will claim their “turf”, display the names of members or announce an upcoming event
Tagger Graffiti - this is a growing art where one is attempting to establish their identity or gain recognition among peers
“Taggers” will place their nicknames (usually 4-6 letters and/or numbers) in highly visible and often dangerous places in order to increase their recognition within a group or “crew”. Contrary to what most people believe, taggers usually come from middle to upper income level families.
Child delinquents are two to three times more likely to become serious, violent, and chronic offenders than adolescents whose delinquent behavior begins in their teens. Child delinquents account for one-third of all juvenile arrests for arson, one-fifth for sex offenses and vandalism, one-eighth for burglary and forcible rape, and one-twelfth of juvenile arrests for violent crime overall.
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