NCJ Number
62804
Date Published
1978
Length
178 pages
Annotation
CHARACTERISTICS OF VANDALISM ACTIVITY IN DISPERSED ROCKY MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREAS WERE IDENTIFIED, ALONG WITH CONTROL TECHNIQUES USED BY MANAGERS; SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS OF CULTURAL RESOURCES VANDALISM ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
STATES INCLUDED IN THE STUDY WERE ARIZONA, COLORADO, IDAHO, MONTANA, NEW MEXICO, THE DAKOTAS, UTAH, WYOMING, AND PORTIONS OF ADJACENT STATES. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM 160 QUESTIONNAIRES CIRCULATED TO FIELD-LEVEL EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS), THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, THE U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE COLORADO DIVISION OF PARKS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION, AND THE U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION. LIBRARY RESEARCH, CORRESPONDENCE, AND FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE PROVIDED SUPPLEMENTAL DATA. CULTURAL RESOURCE VANDALISM WAS FOUND TO BE A WORSENING PROBLEM CONFRONTING ALL 160 REGIONS, PARTICULARLY FOR PREHISTORIC RESOURCE TYPES AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS. MUCH OF THE DAMAGE SEEMS TO BE SYSTEMATIC, ALTHOUGH SOME IS 'WANTONLY DESTRUCTIVE,' WITH MOTIVES RANGING FROM DESIRES FOR MONETARY GAIN AND PERSONAL ACQUISITION TO SHEER IGNORANCE, CARELESSNESS, AND CURIOSITY. SUCH INCIDENTS MAY BE INCREASING BECAUSE OF OVERALL INCREASES IN VISITATION TO THE AREAS; NONETHELESS, MANY VANDALS ARE PERSONS LIVING IN THE VICINITY WHO PLAN THEIR VISITS AND ACQUISITIONS CAREFULLY. LACK OF FUNDING AND PERTINENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT VANDALISM TECHNIQUES HAVE HINDERED EFFICIENT CONTROL. AUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF THE RESOURCE, PHYSICAL BARRIERS TO ENTRIES AND TIMELY MAINTENANCE OF THE RESOURCE ARE EFFECTIVE DETERRENTS. NPS, WHICH EMPHASIZES INTERPRETATION AND PRESERVATION OF ALL CULTURAL RESOURCES (AND PROBABLY RECEIVES MORE FUNDING), WAS FOUND TO HAVE THE LOWEST INCIDENCE OF VANDALISM. STATE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL-LEVEL PERSONNEL SHOULD BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH CULTURAL RESOURCES, THEIR IMPORTANCE AND LOCATIONS, AND COMMUNICATE THIS KNOWLEDGE THROUGH FIELD PERSONNEL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE RESOURCES SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM THE PUBLIC BY BARRIERS AND LIMITED ACCESS. STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED THROUGH TABLES AND GRAPHS. THE APPENDED QUESTIONNAIRE IS ACCOMPANIED BY A GLOSSARY, REFERENCES, AND AGENCY, GEOGRAPHICAL, LEGISLATIVE, STATE, AND RESPONDENT INFORMATION. (MHP)