| Serious Violent Crime Rate
in U.S. Schools |
Rate Per 1,000 Students Ages 12-18
|
Contrary to public perception,
violent crime in schools has declined dramatically since 1994. The
annual rate of serious violent crime in 2003 (6 per 1,000 students)
was less than half of the rate in 1994. |
|
| Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice
Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Cited in
Table 2.2 in Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005; National
Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics. |
|
| Homicides in U.S. Schools: 1992-93 to 2004-05 |
|
The rate of homicides in U.S. schools has also declined dramatically since the 1990's. There was an interruption in the downward trend during a period of highly publicized shootings that generated some copycat shootings. |
|
| Source: National School Safety Center's School Associated Violent Deaths Report. This chart only includes student homicides on school property. |
|
| Students Threatened or Injured with a Weapon at School |
 |
The overall percentage of students who report being threatened or injured with a weapon at school has remained relatively stable since 1993. Boys experience almost twice as many incidents as girls.
|
|
| Source: National Center for Disease and Prevention and Heath Promotion, "Youth Risk Behavior Survey." Cited in Table 4.1 in Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005; National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics. |
|
| School Bullying |
 |
Bullying is one form of violence that seems to have increased in recent years, although it is not clear if the increase reflects more incidents of bullying at school or perhaps greater awareness of bullying as a problem. |
|
| Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey. Cited in Figure 12.2 in Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005; National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics. |
|
| Rates of Bullying and other School
Discipline Problems |
 |
Student bullying is one of the most frequently reported discipline problems at school: 26% of elementary schools, 43% of middle schools, and 25% of high schools reported problems with bullying in 1999-2000. |
|
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, National Center for Education Statistics,
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS). Cited in Figure 8.1 in
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005; National Center for Education
Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
|
|
| Number of Students Caught with a Firearm at School, By State |
|
|
State-by-state differences in the numbers of students caught with firearms at school may be attributable to many factors, including differing practices in enforcement, detection, record keeping, and official reporting. For example, it seems doubtful that a state the size of Virginia really has more students bringing firearms to school than states the size of California, New York, or Texas. |
|
Source: 2004 Report on the Implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act in the States and Outlying Areas. Data collected from the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 school years.. |
|
| Percentage of Students Who Carried a Weapon to School, By Gender |
 |
The percentage of students who report carrying a weapon to school during the previous 30 days has been gradually decreasing since 1993. |
|
| Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, "Youth Risk Behavior Survey." Cited in Table 14.1 in Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005; National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics. |
|
| Percentage of Students Who Feel Afraid at School or on the Way to School, By Ethnicity |
 |
In general, ethnic minority students report more fear at school. However, reports of feeling afraid have declined in all groups. |
|
| Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey. Cited Table 17.1 in Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005; National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics. |
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