Teens, vandalism and the power of 'why?'

On Friday, I listened to a segment on The Last Word discussing the rise of vandalism and anti-social behaviour in public parks. It echoed a wider pattern many communities are feeling. People are rightly fed up of waking up to burnt benches and damaged playgrounds, while also being scared of the kind of intimidation outlined in a recent report on the scale of anti-social behaviour in Dublin’s parks.

It’s easy to respond with frustration or even hopelessness. However, the truth is more complex. When we look a little deeper, we find that vandalism is rarely about destruction for the sake of it. There are often unmet needs that sit underneath the behaviour.

One framework looks at how teens sometimes turn to destructive acts when they feel powerless or disconnected, a theme explored in work on understanding teen vandalism and destructive behaviour. In other cases, it stems from boredom, lack of belonging, or a need to be noticed, something touched on in a BBC piece examining why some young people damage public spaces.

There’s also the social dimension. Groups amplify risk. A teen who would never damage property alone may feel pressured or energised by the presence of peers and this idea that group identity can fuel anti-social behaviour has long been explored.

While it’s tempting to respond with harsher penalties, the long-term consequences of criminalisation can be severe. Even a single charge can impact all manner of opportunities in education and employment, but it can also be destructive to the young person's mental health.

This is why prevention matters. Integrated supports, early intervention, community leadership, and strong family-school partnerships work. The Irish Penal Reform Trust highlights effective youth crime prevention approaches in Ireland, emphasising that the earlier we act, the better the outcomes. We also have proven alternatives to punishment, such as the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, which gives young people a structured, restorative path back on track.

Restorative approaches deserve more attention. When teens participate in repairing harm, meeting community members, or contributing to rebuilding efforts, something powerful can shift. Many practitioners have explored how motivations behind youth vandalism can be redirected.

We also can’t ignore mental health. Feelings of isolation, impulsivity, or emotional dysregulation can escalate risk-taking behaviours. A growing body of work continues to explore stress, coping mechanisms and risk-taking in teens, which helps explain why some adolescents are more vulnerable than others.

So where does that leave us?

For me, it reinforces something simple but crucial: we can condemn the behaviour without giving up on the young person.

Here are a few steps communities, schools, and families can take:

1. Strengthen belonging: Teens who feel connected are far less likely to engage in destructive behaviour.

2. Provide structured outlets: Boys especially benefit from environments that mix physical activity with responsibility, autonomy, and positive male role models.

3. Listen early, not only after something has gone wrong: Most teens communicate distress indirectly. Spotting withdrawal, irritability, or sudden peer-group changes matters.

4. Use restorative pathways where possible: Making amends builds empathy and responsibility in ways punishment alone cannot.

5. Teach emotional regulation and impulse control: This is a developmental skill, not a given. Programmes that build self-awareness reduce risk-taking dramatically.

Public frustration is understandable. But when we talk about vandalism or anti-social behaviour, we’re also talking about a group of people who are still forming their identity and learning how to belong. The question isn’t “How do we punish this?” It’s, “How do we create environments where this behaviour is less likely to emerge in the first place?”

That’s the conversation worth having.