Music Helps to stop vandalism

Subject: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 04:42 AM

Soothing the savage beast? Maybe...

Martin Wainwright
Friday December 10, 2004
The Guardian

The power of great classical music to move audiences has reached unexpected new levels thanks to an unusual anti-vandal scheme.

Recordings of Handel, Bach and Vivaldi have driven teenage troublemakers out of the central bus station in Beverley, east Yorkshire, where youths had been daubing graffiti and intimidating evening travellers.

Bought for £15 in a local charity shop, the selection of Golden Greats has been piped into the collection of shelters for the past month.

"It's a very simple idea but very effective," said David Boden, passenger services manager for the East Riding of Yorkshire district council. "The troublemakers can't stand the music and it just irritates them so much they end up leaving.

"It's cost us about £200 to get the licences to play the music as well as buying the CDs, but it's saved us thousands. When I first came up with the idea, I think people thought I was stark raving mad, but it's cleared up the problems by about 80%.

"We're now adding carols during the day, which they won't like but everyone else does.

"I think the classical music also helps calm them down, even if they don't realise it, and the carols get our passengers in a good mood."

The ploy has been so effective that some of the teenagers tried to silence the speakers by cutting wires.

But all their efforts failed and some have now opted for a "can't beat them so join them" approach.

"The music we've used has worked and I think we'll stick with the tried and tested," said Mr Boden. "But some of the kids have now asked me if they could have Britney Spears for a day if they behave. We'll have to see."

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: Crystal
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 05:27 AM

I'm suprised that they havn't worked out how to smash the speakers up by now.

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: The Shambles
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 05:44 AM

The Clockwork Orange comes to mind here.

Some of these vandals may be Ludwig Van fans.......

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 05:46 AM

I wonder if folk music might have driven out the vandals even more effectively...

I somewhow think there may be other factors involved in this. After all there is nothing incompatible with hooliganism and classical music, as was demonstrated in A Clockwork Orange.

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 05:54 AM

They probably thought Folk would drive the passengers out too, Kevin!

I'm intigued by this "can't beat them so join them" effect: does this mean some of the vandals have started playing their own classical music?

Steve

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 06:03 AM

What! Vandals in my beloved Beverley? I didn't know we had any. Do they come in from Hull?

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: rhyzla
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 06:29 AM

This idea seems similar to one originally employed by German football clubs who use soothing music to empty their stadia in an orderly way!!

Surely logic (?) suggests that if lively exciting music is uplifting, then the opposite is true of more gentle stuff!!

Where I live, in the UK midlands, there are a lot of people who could do with earpieces playing soft music permanently inserted (preferably into all orifices, while they're at it!)

Ryzla

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 06:41 AM

The bus station is right next to Nellies (Sam Smiths) where they have turned off the jukebox (see thread on this)but where we do play live music - perhaps it was this that drove them into the bus station in the first place. Hope they don't come and congregate down our street now.

R

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 07:24 AM

Ah! Are they paying their Entertainment Liscence - after all the bought the CD on the bloody cheap!

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: kendall
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 07:28 AM

Music hath charm to soothe the savage BREAST, not beast.

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 07:39 AM

I haven't been attacked by a savage breast in ooooh, ages....

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 07:45 AM

Two of the buggers attacked me last night!

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: The Shambles
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 08:37 AM

Have Sam Smiths banned ALL music?

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: jeffp
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 09:21 AM

Quote from above:

"It's cost us about £200 to get the licences to play the music as well as buying the CDs, but it's saved us thousands."

Yes, they've paid the licensing fee.

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 08:20 PM

Another benefit. Rats won't stay where there's music.

Subject: RE: Music Helps to stop vandalism
From: Joe_F
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 08:50 PM

I gather that this technique has been in use in the U.S. for some years -- e.g., in the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, Mozart is used to drive the riffraff out.