CAVE VANDALISM DETERRENCE REWARD
By: Thomas Lera, NSS Administrative Vice-President

The National Speleological Society (NSS) offers a reward to anyone providing information leading to the legal conviction of vandalism directly related to caves anywhere in the United States.

Settlements due to convictions under cave laws justify rewards to persons who supplied information leading to the conviction. Convictions under other laws, such as property, may also justify a reward, provided the conviction was for activities described below. Out of court settlements may also justify a reward, provided the offenders were formally charged and the settlement promotes cave conservation.

The NSS pays a reward of $250 to $1,000 for information leading to the conviction of any person (or persons) who:

Application for this reward must be made within three months of such conviction to the National Speleological Society, Cave Vandalism Deterrence Reward Commission, Attn: Jay Jorden, Cave Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama 35810. The NSS Cave Vandalism Deterrence Reward Commission will make final determination as to whether a particular set of information qualifies for the reward and the size of said reward based upon the seriousness of the offense and the success of the prosecution. If several people supply information leading to a conviction of a person (or persons) for the same act of vandalism, the reward will be split equally among them.

Anyone who visits a cave assumes responsibility for its protection and preservation. Reward potential or not, the NSS strongly encourages everyone to report any suspected act of vandalism immediately, with as much detail as possible (date, description of offense/ offending person, etc.).