Environmental Cues and Vandalism

Abstract

Vandalism and destruction of recreation resources and facilities is a major concern to managers of parks and forests (Alfano and Magill, 1976; Driessen, 1978; Downing and Clark, 1979). The kinds of depreciative behavior that managers report include damage to restrooms, gates, fences, and other facilities; graffiti on picnic tables, walls, rocks, and trees; litter; theft; and general disregard for rules and restrictions. This concern by managers may reflect an increase in the occurrence of such acts and may also stem from the growing dollar demand on meager recreational budgets that must be spent on repair, replacement, education, or other strategies in response to those problems. Effective and cost-efficient methods to reduce depreciative impacts are necessary.