Step Over the Line; Beat a Sign
Dealing with Sign Vandalism
What sign materials hold up best to vandalism? Who are vandals? Why do they destroy public property?
Interpreters at parks, nature centers, and historic sites often struggle with these questions. Vandalism destroys not only the targeted objects, but also degrades the sense of safety, comfort, and aesthetics of an entire area. With ever tightening budgets, vandalism can be an expensive problem for interpretive sites.
On November 7, 2007, Jim Buchholz and Ron Zimmerman presented a session on sign vandalism at the National Association for Interpretation conference in Wichita, Kansas. Participants in the session were encouraged (okay, goaded) to "step over the line" into the shoes of a vandal. Armed with pens, permanent markers, lip stick, lighters, razor blades, hammers, and rocks, they defaced and disfigured several signs to see how each stood up to vandalism.
Results: Vandal Resistance of Sign Materials
- Results from Session Participants: November 7, 2007
- Results from Schmeeckle Reserve Follow-Up Study: November 11, 2007
Workshop Documents
- Workshop outline and notes (PDF)
- Vandal Resistance of Materials score worksheet (PDF)
- Vandal Resistance Rating System (PDF)
Resources
- Vandalism resources used in workshop
- Video of sign materials being shot by a shotgun
(by Schmeeckle Reserve, Windows Media file, 7.5 MB) - Destruction: Fun or Dumb 1970s film with a catchy theme song (new page)
- Why Vandalize? 1955 vintage film from Encyclopaedia Britannica (new page)
- The Ancient Vandals (new page)