THE FIRST STUDY MEASURED VANDALISM IN A SUBURB OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, THROUGH POLICE AND LOCAL AUTHORITY RECORDS AND VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS OF AREA RESIDENTS, SHOPKEEPERS, AND HEAD TEACHERS. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION OF VANDALISM INCIDENTS APPEAR IN OFFICIAL CRIME STATISTICS AND THAT MOST MINOR INCIDENTS ARE UNDERRECORDED. THE SECOND STUDY USED SELF-REPORTS TO DETERMINE THE PREVALENCE OF VANDALISM WITHIN A SAMPLE OF 584 ADOLESCENT BOYS IN A NORTHERN ENGLAND CITY. THE FINDINGS SUGGESTED THAT RELATIVELY PETTY VANDALISM, SUCH AS BREAKING A BOTTLE IN THE STREET, WAS VERY WIDESPREAD. MORE SERIOUS VANDALISM WAS LESS PREVALENT. THE INFLUENCES OF A BOY'S SCHOOL PARENTS, AND FRIENDS ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF HIS INVOLVEMENT ALSO IS CONSIDERED. THE FINAL STUDY EXAMINED VANDALISM RATES FOR LONDON HOUSING ESTATES TO TEST OSCAR NEWMAN'S (1972) IDEAS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND CRIME. THE STUDY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT IN THE FUTURE PRINCIPLES OF DEFENSIBLE SPACE SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN THE DESIGN OF HOUSING ESTATES; E.G., DWELLINGS SHOULD OVERLOOK OUTSIDE AREAS SO THAT CHILDREN AT PLAY CAN BE SEEN AND ENTRANCES SHOULD BE MADE DISCRETE FOR RESIDENTS' USE ONLY. REDUCING CHILD DENSITIES THROUGH THE DISPERSAL OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IS POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE BUT PROBLEMATIC. SUMMARY SECTIONS DISCUSS THE NATURE OF VANDALISM AND THE PREVENTIVE IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY RESULTS. A REGRESSION ANALYSIS FOR THE STUDY OF THE HOUSING ESTATES IS APPENDED. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)