NCJ Number
45395
Date Published
1977
Length
402 pages
Annotation
SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED TO OBTAIN BASE LEVEL DATA ON SEVERAL ASPECTS OF YOUTHFUL VANDALISM, INCLUDING THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCHOOL ATTITUDE AND ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE TO SCHOOL VANDALISM.
Abstract
THE STUDY ATTEMPTED TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT SCHOOL VANDALISM VARIES WITH STUDENT'S SCHOOL ATTITUDES; TO EXAMINE THE EFFECT OF ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE ON THE STUDENTS' VANDALISTIC BEHAVIOR; AND TO CONDUCT A GENERALIZED SURVEY OF VANDALISM SO AS TO PROVIDE PRIMITIVE INFORMATION ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN VANDALISM IN GENERAL, THE SOCIAL-ACADEMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES OF VANDALISM, AND THE CONDITIONS AND FACTORS ATTENDING THEIR ACTS OF VANDALISM. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS AT THREE HIGH SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THREE METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THE NEW ENGLAND REGION: SAMPLE SIZES FOR THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS WERE 938, 303, AND 354. THE EXTENT OF THE STUDENTS' BEHAVIOR WAS MEASURED THROUGH THEIR RESPONSES ON THREE VANDALISM CHECKLISTS SPECIALLY DEVISED FOR THE STUDY. OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE STUDENTS, THEIR CONDITIONS, ACTIVITIES, AND INVOLVEMENTS IN THE HOME, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY WAS ACQUIRED THROUGH OTHER QUESTIONNAIRES. ATTITUDINAL INFORMATION WAS DERIVED FROM A GENERALIZED ATTITUDE SCALE DESIGNED TO COVER THE FOLLOWNG SUBSCALE DIMENSIONS: ATTITUDE TOWARD EDUCATION; PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS; ACADEMIC SELF-CONCEPT PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL RELEVANCE; PERCEPTION OF STUDENT POWERLESSNESS; PERCEPTION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN TEACHERS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS; AND PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE IN THE THREE STUDY SCHOOLS WAS OBTAINED FROM PRESTUDY INTERVIEWS WITH SCHOOL OFFICIALS. THE FINDINGS ARE THAT MAJOR DIFFERENCES DO NOT APPEAR AMONG THE STUDY POPULATIONS IN THE THREE SCHOOLS WITH REGARD TO THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN VANDALISM, THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD SCHOOL, OR EVEN THEIR PERCEPTIONS OR EVALUATIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MORE ALIENATED THE STUDENT, AS MEASURED BY THE GENERALIZED ATTITUDE SCALE AND OTHER QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS, THE GREATER THE INVOLVEMENT IN VANDALISM IN GENERAL AND SCHOOL VANDALISM IN PARTICULAR. DIFFERENCES IN ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE COULD NOT EXPLAIN DIFFERENCES IN THE VANDALISM EXPERIENCES IN THE STUDY SCHOOLS, BUT BECAUSE ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE IMPINGES ON STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD SCHOOL, IT IS LIKELY TO HAVE IMPORTANT BEARING ON THE STUDENTS' VANDALISTIC BEHAVIOR IN THE SCHOOLS. VANDALISM AS AN ACTIVITY USUALLY INVOLVES LITTLE PLANNING, AND IS SELDOM DONE ALONE OR IN RETALIATION; DAMAGE BEHAVIOR IS USUALLY HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED. THE FINDINGS TEND TO VALIDATE THE UNDERLYING THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONTROL THEORY AS A SUITABLE VEHICLE FOR THE ANALYSIS OF ATTITUDES AND VANDALISM. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS CALLED FOR. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. AND QUESTIONNAIRES AND FORMS ARE PROVIDED. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS SUPPLIED (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED-DAS)