This is such a conundrum and in South Africa, too, these debates are raging. You raise, in my head, three important issues: consequences of actions; punishment and/or restorative justice - with the victim(s) in mind as well as the value of education. Like you, I have opinions on all three and I think that the arguments in favour of all or nothing are not simple, but very nuanced to the point of, sometimes, being case-specific.

With graffiti, too, I think there is a challenge where, internationally, "tag" artists are getting much kudos for their work and it's being featured all over the show - to great acclaim. Begs the question: when does vandalism become art? When it's in the eye of the beholder? And then, the consequences of fame, money, reputation seem somewhat anomalous to me.

Back to the issue of punishment - in this case, this seems to be either malicious or, at best, kids' pranks. Doesn't excuse it, though. From an objective outsider's perspective, I'd be inclined to want to know the motive behind the behaviour and if it was just a kids' prank, cleaning up, naming and shaming may do the trick. If it was malicioius, then no. Throw the book at him/her (probably him). In both instances there are consequences to be borne.

I do understand the anger and outrage, but perhaps because of the issues our society faces, I'm inclined to suggest that a clean-up is infinitely more palatable than hospital visits or a funeral. Or, as is the case of the widespread vandilising of the country's metro rail system, virtually crippling the economy of cities like Cape Town. No, I am not being flippant and yes, I agree that there ought to be consequences as I've already said, and I acknowledge that petty crime can lead to more significant crime, but sometimes it's helpful to take a step back to get perspective. I did like the example of the construction worker and his son. That said, not all parents would have seen sense; some seem incapbable of it when it comes to their "darlings".

On the education thing. I worked in the post school education and training arena for well nigh 30 years and one of the things that is patently clear to me, that the old adage "there's none so deaf as those who won't hear", applies here, too. So I agree that unless there is a genuine motivation to learn, what's the point of education?

In the village where I live, we had a wonderful event over the weekend where 50 bicycles were handed over to children and famliies from poorer part of the town. Yesterday morning, I was doing an errand and two kids came flying round a corner, through a stop street on the wrong side of the road. I had right of way and had I not had to slow down to turn, myself, I might have not seen them and the potential consequences are too awful to contemplate. When I got home, I asked the organiser whether there had been any prep and awareness of the rules of the road. Nope. It's being done with the next bike drop was the response. In November. Now, I'm asking myself whether it would have done any good to have had that ahead of time? I don't know. Kids will be kids, taking chances and doing what kids to - look, mum, no hands, and all that jazz. No amount of education will change that. So... Sigh....

Back to the mall's balls: I, too, would feel a sense of personal outrage at the vandalising of one of my own creations, or a friend's , so I have a sense of what you and @mattclarke must be feeling, which begs another question about the motivation: was it personal? But now having read his comment, perhaps not.

I guess my ramblings are a long way of saying that I don't think that there is a one-size-fits-all solution to this conundrum. I do hope that the community and authorities come to some arrangement that appeases everyone and where the perpetrators are suitably chastised and pay for what they have done.