Boredom, anger, revenge, defiance--whatever the motivation, vandalism is a growing problem in the U.S., and restrooms are often an easy target. Whether in schools, shopping malls or correctional facilities, plumbing fixtures can be subject to abuse much greater than the normal wear-and-tear of everyday use.
Most facility managers must deal with the aftermath of vandalism on a regular basis. In fact, U.S. schools currently pay out millions of dollars each year to repair buildings and replace vandalized equipment--and the numbers are increasing. In Federal and State correctional facilities, where damaging plumbing fixtures is a common pastime, the rising number of inmates has compounded the vandalism problem--nearly two million people were incarcerated in the United States as of midyear 2000.