THE COLLEGIAN Browse: Home / 2012 / January / 11 / Vandals Strike With Expression Vandals Strike With Expression By Emma

DeJong on January 11, 2012 Freedom of expression has its limits and its consequences. Two instances of vandalism last semester in The Union caused damage totaling $1,500. If the same person committed both crimes they could be charged with a Class 4 Felony, said SDSU Police Department Chief Tim Heaton. Both illustrations were done in black permanent marker with matching artistic techniques and similar messages. Union Free Director thinking, evolution, Jennifer free your mind Novotny that listed sort of a thing, she few. said.

The first crime was committed Oct. 12, between 10 p.m. and midnight, Novotny estimated. The drawing was on a booth in Einstein Bros. Bagels, scrawled on the plastic seat cover and expanding up the wood paneling. Outside help was hired to completely replace wainscoting wood and the upholstery, totaling $1,500. The second occurrence was reported to the SDSUPD Nov. 18. It was in a stall of the mens bathroom in the lower level of The Union. Novotny said there were drawings covering the entire stall. Union staff estimated the repair cost could have been another $1,500, or possibly up to $20,000 if the stalls needed to be replaced completely. However, one of the custodians spent nearly three hours coming up with a chemical mixture that took off the marker from the sides of the stall, and the stall door was then repainted for less than $25. Its pretty awesome, Novotny said. We thought we were going to have to rip out the whole stall. At this point, after two unresolved offenses, Novotny said she and the Union staff are at a loss for what action to take. Security can only go so far. Fingerprinting is not an option with the particular locations. And surveillance cameras have the be provided, their limits, which person as include bathroom stalls. responsible. well. We cant do a lot, Novotny said. Were just looking for other good stewards of the building, to help identify She said a cash reward is available for anyone who is willing to come forward with information. Anonymity could Novotny does not think this property damage was hateful; the person may have just needed an outlet. She is brainstorming possible solutions for this, and she has considered the possibility of putting up large Plexiglas sheets for Maybe theres a students more mature way to to express your ideas write than Sharpie, she on. said.

There were 18 reported vandalism cases last semester on the entire campus, according to the SDSUPDs crime logs. Heaton said this is average in comparison to other semesters and there is no sign its going away. We have a sense that this is probably going to continue to occur, Novotny said. Copyright 2012 The Collegian. All Rights Reserved. Powered by WordPress, Hybrid, and Hybrid News.

ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY: The study of human nature, reasonable behavior and durable living Raymond De Young School of Natural Resources and Environment University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Cite original as: De Young, R. (1999) Environmental Psychology. In D. E. Alexander and R. W. Fairbridge [Eds] Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. (Pp. 223-224) Hingham, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. < Persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/83771 >

Environmental psychology examines the interrelationship between environments and human behavior. The field defines the term environment very broadly including all that is natural on the planet as well as social settings, built environments, learning environments and informational environments. When solving problems involving humanenvironment interactions, whether global or local, one must have a model of human nature that predicts the environmental conditions under which humans will behave in a decent and creative manner. With such a model one can design, manage, protect and/or restore environments that enhance reasonable behavior, predict what the likely outcome will be when these conditions are not met, and diagnose problem situations. The field develops such a model of human nature while retaining a broad and inherently multidisciplinary focus. It explores such dissimilar issues as common property resource management, wayfinding in complex settings, the effect of environmental stress on human performance, the characteristics of restorative environments, human information processing, and the promotion of durable conservation behavior. The field of environmental psychology recognizes the need to be problem-oriented, using, as needed, the theories and methods of related disciplines (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, ecology). The field founded the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), publishes in numerous journals including Environment and Behavior and the Journal of Environmental Psychology, and was reviewed several times in the Annual Review of Psychology. A handbook of the field was first published in 1987 (Stokols and Altman 1987, updated 1991). A second handbook was released in 2002 (Bechtel and Churchman 2002) There are several recurrent elements in the research literature that help to define this relatively new field (see Garling and Golledge 1993, Kaplan and Kaplan 1982, 2009): Attention - Understanding human behavior starts with understanding how people notice the environment. This includes at least two kinds of stimuli: those that involuntarily, even distractingly, command human notice, as well as those places, things or ideas to which humans must voluntarily, and with some effort (and resulting fatigue), direct their awareness. Restoring and enhancing peoples capacity to voluntarily direct their attention is a major factor in maintaining human effectiveness. [Brief discussion of directed attention] Perception and cognitive maps - How people image the natural and built environment has been an interest of this field from its beginning. Information is stored in the brain as spatial networks called cognitive maps. These structures link ones recall of experiences with perception of present events, ideas and emotions. It is through these neural networks that humans know and think about the environment, plan and carry out their plans. Interestingly, what humans know about an environment is both more than external reality in that they perceive with prior knowledge and expectations, and less than external reality in that they record only a portion of the entire visual frame yet recall it as complete and continuous. Preferred environments - People tend to seek out places where they feel competent and confident, places where they can make sense of the environment while also being engaged with it. Research has expanded the notion of preference to include coherence (a sense that things in the environment hang together) and legibility (the inference that one can explore an environment without becoming lost) as contributors to environmental comprehension. Being involved and wanting to explore an environment requires that it have complexity (containing enough variety to

make it worth learning about) and mystery (the prospect of gaining more information about an environment). Preserving, restoring and creating a preferred environment is thought to increase sense of well being and behavioral effectiveness in humans. Environmental stress and coping - Along with the common environmental stressors (e.g., noise, climatic extremes) some define stress as the failure of preference, including in the definition such cognitive stressors as prolonged uncertainty, lack of predictability and stimulus overload. Research has identified numerous behavioral and cognitive outcomes including physical illness, diminished altruism, helplessness and attentional fatigue. Coping with stress involves a number of options. Humans can change their physical or social settings to create more supportive environments (e.g., smaller scaled settings, territories) where they can manage the flow of information or stress inducing stimuli. People can also endure the stressful period, incurring mental costs that they deal with later, in restorative settings (e.g., natural areas, privacy, solitude). They can also seek to interpret or make sense of a situation as a way to defuse its stressful effects, often sharing these interpretations as a part of their culture. Participation - The field is committed to enhancing citizen involvement in environmental design, management and restoration efforts. It is concerned not only with promoting citizen comprehension of environmental issues but with insuring their early and genuine participation in the design, modification and management of environments. Conservation psychology - The field has also played a major role in bringing psychological knowledge to bear upon environmental challenges including responding to global climate disruption and the impending energy descent, as well as crafting a wholesome and environmentally durable society. It explores conservation-related attitudes, perceptions, motivations and values as well as devises intervention techniques for promoting environmentally appropriate behavior at a variety of scales (See, for instance, Clayton and Myers 2009, De Young 2011, Saunders and Myers 2003) References Bechtel, R. and A. Churchman [Eds.] (2002). Handbook of Environmental Psychology. New York, NJ: Hoboken. Clayton, S. and O. E. Myers, Jr. (2009). Conservation Psychology: Understanding and Promoting Human Care for Nature. NY: Wiley/Blackwell Publishers. De Young, R. (2011). Slow wins: Patience, perseverance and behavior change. Carbon Management, 2, 607611 <Persistent archive URL = http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/88161> Garling, T. and R. Golledge [Eds.] (1993). Behavior and Environment: Psychological and Geographical Approaches. Amsterdam: North Holland. Kaplan, S. and R. Kaplan (2009). Creating a larger role for environmental psychology: The Reasonable Person Model as an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 29, 329-339. Kaplan, S. and R. Kaplan (1982). Cognition and Environment. NY: Praeger. Saunders, C. D. and O. E. Myers, Jr. [Eds.] (2003). Special issue: Conservation psychology.Human Ecology Review, 10, iii-v. Stokols, D. and I. Altman [Eds.] (1991). Handbook of Environmental Psychology. Malabar, FL: Krieger Pubublishing. Document version: January 18, 2012 11:56

WHAT IS VANDALISM / CRIMINAL DAMAGE? Criminal damage refers to crimes where any person without lawful excuse intentionally or recklessly destroys or damages any property belonging to another . Activities resulting in nonpermanent damage (i.e. that can be rectified, cleaned off or removed at no cost) such as letting down of car tyres should not be classed as criminal damage, nor should accidental damage. Any damage around a point of entry to a house or vehicle should be treated as attempted burglary / vehicle crime rather than criminal damage if, on the balance of probabilities, one of those crimes is the more likely offence than criminal damage . Vandalism is the term used in the British Crime Survey. Whilst the definition has been kept as close as possible to that of criminal damage, it only covers crimes against households and household property, including cars SAFER PLACES Problems of vandalism can often be exacerbated by the very nature of our surroundings. Public spaces should be presented in a way that encourages people to use them for legitimate purposes. Vandalism, like many crimes,

thrives in areas that lack people and visibility. Through the redevelopment of problem areas or better design of new areas it is often possible to reduce or eradicate many of these challenges without having to take enforcement or other management or maintenance action. If public spaces are designed to allow maximum visibility and promote utilisation by law-abiding members of the public, then crime and anti-social behaviour is less likely to occur than in areas that are secluded and rarely used. Designing out crime does not have to be expensive, especially if considered at the planning stage either when building new estates or redeveloping existing areas. And the costs associated with dealing with problem areas - in terms, for example, of policing and maintenance far outweigh the costs of planning and building in security. Safer Places: The Planning System and Crime Prevention - published jointly by the Home Office and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2004 provides detailed advice on how crime and disorder can be tackled via good planning. This is not only relevant to new developments, it provides a range of ideas that can be used to modify existing ones and some routes for promoting the implementation of good practice.

Criminal Damage Act 1971 Section 1 Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime ISBN 0-7277-3261-7 Available electronically via the Crime Reduction website Johnson, S. and Loxley, C. (July 2001) Installing Alley-Gates: Practical Lessons From Burglary Prevention Projects Petherick, A & Fraser, R. (1992) Handbook for Practitioners. Living Over The Shop UK DIRECTGOV Crime and justice Vandalism Vandalism is a crime that damages peoples quality of life and costs communities millions to repair. Its easy to dismiss it as a minor offence, but it has a big impact on neighbourhoods. Find out what it is and how to report it. What is vandalism? Vandalism is any deliberate damage done to someone elses property. Examples include: y y y y y y painting graffiti dumping rubbish setting small fires smashing windows damaging buildings or other structures scratching car paint The effects of vandalism Vandalism can hurt peoples quality of life because it damages or destroys things that they need or care about. It also: y y y makes people feel that their lives are less safe than they really are can be dangerous people have died when acts of vandalism went too far, or got out of control costs you money you pay for vandalism repair through higher taxes and insurance payments Reporting vandalism If you notice that property has been vandalised, you should contact your local council to report it. If you see someone in the act of vandalising property, you should contact your local police force or your local neighbourhood policing team. If youre on public transportation and you see somebody vandalising your bus or train, call the train company and let them know. You can also call the Transport Police if youre in a major city, such as London. If you think that what youve seen could be dangerous (such as someone setting fires), or you feel personally threatened, please call 999. Find a police force, neighbourhood policing team or police authority Punishments for vandalism The punishment given to vandals depends on how seriously theyve damaged property. Most vandalism offences are fairly minor, and those are usually dealt with by a Magistrates Court. The penalty will depend on how much damage there was, how much it cost to repair and how much trouble it caused.

If the value of the damage is more than 5,000, the maximum penalty is six months in jail and a 5,000 fine. If the damage is less than 5,000, the maximum penalty is three months in jail or a fine of 2,500. Police and local authorities can also decide to issue vandals with penalty notices. For children under 16 years old, this results in on-the-spot fines of 50. For those 16 and over it results in an 80 fine. More serious acts of vandalism that damage or threaten lives can result in substantial sentences. The maximum sentence for someone who has set arson fires that threatened the life of another person is life in prison. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CrimeJusticeAndTheLaw/Typesofcrime/DG_181578 Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Many people believe violence on college and university campuses is rare and view campus as a safe haven. However, a significant minority of students reports experiencing some form of violence, including interpersonal and sexual violence, while in college. For instance, research shows that 17 percent of college students report experiencing some form of violence or harassment during the previous year. Violence affects the safety of everyone at the college and in the surrounding community. Violence is a complex behavior with determinants rooted in biology, childhood experience, community norms, and social and economic conditions. Violence on campus takes many forms, including hate and bias crimes, hazing, rape and other sexual assault, stalking, suicide, and vandalism. Survivors of violence may experience long-term physical and emotional consequences as a result of violence, which may lead to social or academic problems. An effective violence prevention approach is grounded in strategic planning conducted by campus and community representatives working in collaboration. The process starts with a problem analysis designed to identify particular areas of concern in each campus community and to set priorities for prevention. These priorities, considered with research and best practices from the field, are used to create a strategic plan with clearly articulated goals and objectives and a plan for evaluation. Campus administrators are in an excellent position to foster a safe, healthy, and civil campus environment in which everyone can grow, live, and learn. A comprehensive approach to violence prevention can minimize the individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy factors that contribute to violence on campus, and may include:

y y y y y y y

Addressing attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and skills that contribute to violence through education, skill building, curriculum infusion, and other efforts. Supporting healthy group norms and promoting bystander intervention. Conveying clear expectations for conduct among students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Creating and disseminating comprehensive policies and procedures addressing each type of violent behavior, and instituting training programs to ensure that policies are followed and enforced. Providing a range of support services for students, including mental health services, crisis management, and comprehensive and compassionate services for victims. Helping students to avoid harm through such measures as escort services and self-defense classes. Establishing comprehensive alcohol and other drug prevention programs.

Vandalism Vandalism on campus is a multifaceted problem that takes many forms, including destroying property, setting off fire alarms, stealing, and writing graffiti. Many factors, such as peer pressure and hostility toward the school, contribute to this type of violence, and these behaviors are often fueled by heavy drinking. Alcohol and vandalism often go hand in hand. One in ten students report engaging in vandalism due to alcohol, and almost a quarter of heavy drinkers engage in vandalism. Residences and other campus buildings near bars often bear the brunt of alcohol-related vandalism. Colleges and universities pay huge economic and social prices for acts of vandalism, with much of the financial burden falling directly to the student body. Therefore, it is in the interest of the entire campus to prevent vandalism. Administrators can develop approaches to address the campus drinking environment and attitudes toward violence

that may contribute to student vandalism. Working with residence life, campus police, and student health services, a comprehensive approach to vandalism prevention may be beneficial. Reducing vandalism on campus makes the campus safer for students and staff, saves the campus precious resources, improves the schools appearance, and increases campus morale. Specific vandalism prevention strategies that have been effective on campuses include: y y y y y Implementing student or campus police patrol of campus grounds, including dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and parking lots, during times when students are likely to party or during campus events Establishing drug- and alcohol-free residences, including fraternities and sororities Making students aware of the high cost of vandalism on campus and its direct effect on student fees Controlling access to frequently vandalized areas of campus Addressing offenders use of alcohol and other drugs through evaluation and counseling y CampusHealthandSafety.org is a website of the Center for College Health and Safety part of the Health and Human Development Programs division of EDC. 1994-2005 Education Development Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/violence/