One of 52 theoretical papers on school crime and its relation to poverty, this chapter considers the perspective that violence and vandalism in schools are a structural rather than a personal problem. Various facets of the schooling process are discussed with an emphasis on past and present meaning of forms of social control and how these may be dysfunctional to the learning process and contribute to delinquency and vandalism. The meaning of the school experience to the student is crucial, and consensus of perspective is necessary to achieve social order. Why the latter is not being achieved is discussed, and suggestions for change are presented. (Author/MLF)