In your opinion, why do people resort to vandalizing?

All three, plus there is an element of anger and frustration over not having whatever it is as one’s own.

Boredom. Lack of respect for other people and their property.

Lack of self respect and respect for others. People who do things like this generally do not care about others.

Here is a question for all the posters on this question, is there a simple solution to get people to stop vandalizing?

What are they vandalizing? Is it on your property or ? Do you know them? For a lot of kids and tweens, it’s just something to do, they probably don’t realize they’re destroying something.

@SQUEEKY2 You can’t change what adults do. They should be raised correctly while they are still children. You can only lock them away in jail and hope that they will learn a lesson from it.

Could also be pure attention seeking I think.

They do it because they are jealous, immature and unhappy with their own lives. They also have no respect for other people’s property. At times vandalism could be an act of revenge, or as a way to hurt their competitors or enemies.

@KNOWITALL no not my property, just any property in general, does it really matter what they are vandalizing if they are destroying something that isn’t theirs it is just wrong and there are no excuses to make it right , or justifies their actions.

@SQUEEKY2 Agreed. I was thinking maybe you knew them or they were neighborhood kids.

Don’t even get me on ‘these spoiled rotten Ipod-havin entitled jerk kids’...lol I hear the way kids talk to some of my friends and frankly it’s unacceptable and completely rude behavior.

Anger.

Aside from mental illness, repressed anger, a desire to lash out. I reckon it is a cultural thing. I have noticed having moved to the UK from another country recently that it exists. I find it shocking that kids do this. I heard the other day that one young adult ran up and down the road slashing tires. This to my mind is a group or peer type of thing. Though, I know not always.

@LornaLove It’s cool, even Bieber’s doing it. ;)

@KNOWITALL Being imminently cool then, excuse me while I vandalize the local phone booth.:P

Short of the old fashioned pranks of shaving cream in mailboxes and TP’ing the trees kids have taken vandalism to a whole new level the last 20 years IMO. I agree with all of the above. Anger, boredom, conduct issues, not caring, destructive tendencies.
Also, call me sexist but I’m sure it is males committing these crimes more often than girls.

@Coloma Yes I think for the most part it does come from the males,but females are not entirely innocent.

I agree that vandalism as wanton destruction is probably a result of boredom and poor modeling.

But I think a distinction should be drawn when it comes to graffiti, which many consider a way of marking territory or as an art form – not simply as an act of destruction. Anyone who is interested in learning about this fascinating cultural phenomenon can find out more by watching Style Wars or, for a more modern treatment, Exit Through the Gift Shop.

Revenge. Recently, I’ve had thoughts of keying someone’s car who has hurt me but I can’t seem to go through with it. I’d probably just feel worse. I would hate if that happened to me.

@Valerie111 that could also be classed as making a statement ,you want the person to know they upset you with getting their attention.

Lack of appreciation by family and society.

@mattbrowne really they feel they are not appreciated, so lets go vandalize, that will make us feel like we are needed and appreciated?

I think he’s saying it’s a revenge thing.

@Dutchess_III but wouldn’t have to be against someone you know, to actually be a revenge thing, vandalizing against a stranger is just senseless vandalizing.

Could be against society as a whole. You feel your family has let you down, the school has let you down, everything and everyone has let you down (in your mind) so you’re going to get even with them all.

@SQUEEKY2 – You seem to draw the wrong conclusion from my comment. Young people who do something they get applause for, e.g. in sports or playing a musical instrument or winning some award or getting public praise by their teachers or parents are very unlikely to ever vandalize or spray graffiti. So if as a society we want to reduce vandalizing we need to help youngsters find their niche where they are good at and develop this and show appreciation. Everyone is good at something with the right guidance. An excellent movie about this is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Heart

based on a true story. That’s the way to go. Not filling up more and more prisons.