Some Deeper Causes of Vandalism

Let us examine more closely why some youngsters engage in vandalism.  Many adolescents are confused and "describe the world as a mixed-up, crazy place, filled with crazy people. (Note: That is still no excuse, if the parents have taught them right from wrong and these kids defacing and destroying things/places, do not make it any less crazy. I was confused as a teenager too, but I did not go out defacing or destroying anything. I was taught better than that, parents today should do the same. There are consequences for doing things like that.) Nonetheless, and contrary  to what some believe, on report said:  "Teenagers do worry about the direction of their lives.   They care more  than adults think they do." (I haven't seen any proof of it and defacing public buildings or what have you is no excuse for bad behavior.) Unwittingly or not, a youth involved in vandalism may in this way be expressing his deep seated  frustration, unresolved problems, or unfulfilled needs. According to the study mentioned at the outset, "not one of [the] respondents defended or justified vandalism, not even those who [had] engaged in it."  (Yeah, of course, after the fact-after its done and over with and they have thought about it. Why can't they think about before hand, then this would  not have happened to begin with.  Parents are  busy making a living so they can have all the extras they think they can't live without, but can, and leave latch-key kids home alone to do whatever they feel like and don't take the time to teach them to not go out and deface property or what have you.) A lot of parents are to blame as well. )

A youth may seldom hear a word of appreciation or encouragement.  Since education is increasingly  important and more jobs require a high degree of specialized knowledge or technical skill, he or she may feel intimidated.  (Still no excuse, I never heard encouragement and got very little  appreciation  and yet,  I never defaced anything. Why are people making excuses for this kind of behavior. That is all I see anymore from anyone. That, or passing the buck. It is getting really old.) Moreover, parents, teachers, or peers may be very critical and demanding, putting the emphasis  on what the youth achieves and not on what he or she is as a person.  Many  rebel or vandalize simply because they are disappointed  with themselves. Would not the love and attention of parents greatly reduce such distress?  (   Note:  Of course. I went through all that,  but  I got over it and became a decent law abiding human being, I did not deface or destroy, no matter how disappointed, confused or disgusted I was/am with this wicked world.  But it is  still no excuse!   I guess I am more logical and analytical than most people and more objective)

You may have seen that while certain authorities have seemingly given up on trying to control graffiti and other kinds of  delinquency, concerned citizens in general still look to teachers and school personnel to control vandalism.   Regarding law enforcement, the World Book Encyclopedia says:  "Vandalism is punishable by fine or imprisonment.  Some local governments have laws that hold parents responsible for vandalism committed by their children.  But most acts of vandalism are not punished. (Note: Well they should be. If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime. It is simple as that.)  Law enforcement is difficult in such cases, and the cost of most individual acts of damage is not large enough to make legal action worthwhile."  One report  showed that only  3 percent of offenders were ever caught.   

You likely will agree that adequate parenting may be the best way to attack a root cause of delinquency.  But when family life deteriorates, communities suffer.  Professor Ana Luisa Vieira de Mattos, of Sao Paulo University, Brazil,m notes that some  of the reasons for problems with young people are "weak parental supervision, lack of rules, lack of communication, neglect, indifference or apathy."  

In our time we certainly have seen a fulfillment of Jesus' words:  "Because of the  increasings of  lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off." (Matthew 24:12)  And who will deny the words recorded at 2 Timothy 3:1-4 are proving true ?  The apostle Paul wrote:  "Know this, that int he last days critical times hard to deal with  will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, disloyal, having not natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than love of God."  The fact is, just living among people with such characteristics contributes  to delinquency.  (Note: Yes, this whole world is a mess, but it is still no excuse, if you know right from wrong.)  We need not give up though. Communities in general  have failed to eliminate vandalism, but we can find people who have succeeded in changing their own life-style, no longer being ill-mannered or reckless. In their cases vandalism has been stopped.  

Note: I don't know that we should blame the communities or law enforcement or schools or anyone else. If a child is brought up right and disciplined, taught right from wrong and taught manners, by their parents, then there should not be a problem.  My rebellion was very, very mild and I did not go out and deface or destroy public property or hurt anyone)

Next time: Sound Guidance for Young People

From the Watchtower magazine, 1999