Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Criminal Damage

Anti Vandalism Competition

The Home Office ran a competition for citizenship students aged 7 to 14 to work together to develop ideas and publicity materials to deter other from vandalising property. The campaign could take any format, for example it could be a film, poster, game, activity or a website.

There was an excellent response and over 250 entries were received from schools across England and Wales. The judges were delighted to see such a high standard of work and were impressed with the effort made by the young people who took part. The judges selected one winner and nine merit awards. The winning school received a certificate and prize of £2000 which they could use to improve the school environment or develop the campaign. The merit awards received a certificate and £100 book voucher.

  
Winning Entry
Film, Geraldine Kyle Show
  • Bishop Barrington School, Bishop Auckland, Drama and Personal Social and Health Education students
  • See the school's website for more information on how the film was developed and produced.
  • We hope to be able to put a link to the film on this website shortly.
  
Merit Awards
Game, Vandalism Snap
  • Highover JMI School and Nursery, Hertfordshire, Year 5 pupils.
  • Pupils drew pictures of property before and after they had been damaged, and used the images to produce the card game snap.
  • See a picture of the game.
Film, Be Wise Don't Vandalise
  • Hammond School, Surrey, Class 5C
  • Students presented articles in a news report format. Using dance, drama, singing and poetry the students produced a range of work which considered the risks and consequences of damaging property.
Poster, Stop Vandalism
  • Holmer Green Junior School, Buckinghamshire
  • This bright and appealing poster gives hard hitting messages about the consequences of damaging property as well as a positive message about looking after your surroundings.
  • See a picture of the poster
Poster, Vandalism Doesn't Hurt Anyone... Yes it does!
  • Moorgate CP School, Bolton, Year 5 pupils.
  • This poster used images of children, each with messages about how vandalism had impacted on them, their families and friends. This was a clever way of showing the impact of vandalism on people and communities.
Poster, Advertising Panel
  • Thornhill School, Sunderland
  • This design for an advertising panel conveyed a striking and original message about how it feels to be a vicitim of criminal damage when you had been responsible for vandalising property in the past.
  • See an image of the poster.
Rhyme, Stop Smashin' Those Cars.
  • Oakfield Junior School, Gateshead, Year 5 pupils.
  • This memorable rhyme showed that pupils had clearly understood the consquences of committing criminal damage and communicated this in a punchy way.
Multi media campaign, Don't be a sheep, be Assertive
  • Ruislip High School, Middlesex, Year 7 pupils.
  • Pupils produced a range of materials including posters, a story and a pamphlet. The campaign offered positive ways for children to take pride in their neighbourhood and manage negative peer pressure often associated with vandalism.
  • See image 1, image 2.
Poster, Don't Vandalise Your Future
  • Therfield School, Surrey.
  • This poster had a powerful message about the consequences of vandalism on the perpetrator. The image of a person behind smashed glass conveyed the impact of criminal damage on victims.
  • See a picture of the poster.
Multi media campaign, Smash it Out
  • Preston School, Somerset, Year 8 students.
  • Students developed a memorable slogan, 'Smash it Out' and used a wide range of formats such as posters, leaflets and a T shirt design to give information about vandalism and ideas about what actions people could take.
  • See some of the campaign materials: poster 1, poster 2, T shirt design

The entries will be used to develop teaching and publicity material on criminal damage.

 

 

Further resources and information:

 

 

Resources for students, teachers and youth workers:

 

What have other schools done to tackle vandalism?

  • In Liverpool South a 'School Watch' initiative was launched to encourage local residents to report any unusal activity, trespassing or criminal damage on or around school premises.
  • In Flintshire, the Youth Offending Team took a restorative approach to working with staff and pupils to reduce vandalism at a high school.
  • Spelthorne Borough Council worked with young people to produce an Anti Vandalism film. The film will be used as a tool in secondary school drama workshops to deter young people from vandalism and to get young people thinking about their actions.
  • In Portsmouth a partnership between a school and the police led to an award winning initiative: Operation Mullion. Read a case study or see a webcast or transcript of an interview with the police and school staff.
  • In West Mercia Police School Liaison Officers delivered an education campaign to schools called 'Don't Damage your Communities'. Read the case study with information about the campaign and other activities.
  • In South Tyneside Community Wardens opened up school sports pitches to local youngsters on weekends, a peak time for vandals.

 

Related information

 

 

Last update: Thursday, September 13, 2007

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