Hanging Out in the Neighborhood
Vandalism
Have you ever seen a street sign that was painted over, a
picnic table with someone’s name carved on it, or a library
book with pages torn out of it? Have you ever done any of
those things?

Doing these things is called vandalism. It’s when someone
breaks or damages someone else’s property.

There are reasons why you shouldn’t vandalize property and
things you can do if you see vandalism.

Remember, you shouldn’t vandalize because

People feel angry, hurt, and sometimes frightened when
something of theirs is destroyed for no reason.
Schools pay millions of dollars each year to clean up graffiti.
Graffiti is paintings and drawings on walls, lockers, and other
property. That’s money that could be used to buy computers,
sports equipment, and books.
Graffiti gives criminals the impression that people don’t care
about their neighborhoods, which can make the
neighborhoods unsafe.
Vandalizing a street sign can cause problems other than the
damaged sign. Drivers could get lost or be in a car accident
because they didn’t see the sign.
If you see graffiti, destroyed street signs or library books, or
other kinds of vandalism, tell an adult who you trust about it.
If you see someone vandalizing something, get away and tell
an adult you trust.