School Crime and Victimization

Non-fatal victimizations of youth between the ages of 12 and 18 on school property declined between 1995 and 2001 from 10 percent during the previous six months to six percent among 6th graders and from six percent to three percent among 12th graders. (U.S. Departments of Justice and Education. 2003. Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2003. Washington, D.C.)

Between 1992 and 2000, 390 school-associated violent deaths occurred on elementary and secondary school premises: 234 of the deaths were homicides and 43 were suicides of school-aged youth (ages five - 19). (Ibid.)

Students between the ages of 12 and 18 were victims of about 764,000 violent crimes and 1.2 million crimes of theft at school in 2001. (Ibid.)

In 2001, 13 percent of 9th graders reported that they were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property compared to five percent of 12th graders. (Ibid.)

In 2001, street gangs were reported present on school premises by 29 percent of students living in urban areas, 18 percent of students living in suburban areas, and 13 percent of students living in rural areas. (Ibid.)

From 1997 to 2001, teachers were victims of 817,000 thefts and 473,000 violent crimes at school. (Ibid.)

A 2003 study of youth found that 6.1 percent of students nationwide had carried a weapon (e.g., a gun, knife, or club) on school property one or more times during the 30 days prior to the survey. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 9.2 percent of the students had been threatened or injured with such a weapon on school property one or more times. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance Summaries, May 21, 2004. MMWR 2004: 53 (No. SS-02). Atlanta, GA.)

Among students nationwide, 5.4 percent felt unsafe and had stayed away from school on at least one of the 30 days prior to the 2003 survey. (Ibid.)

During the 12 months prior to the 2003 study, almost 30 percent of students had their personal property stolen or deliberately damaged on school premises one or more times. (Ibid.)

Each day, approximately 160,000 students between kindergarten and 12th grade don't attend school because they are afraid of bullying. (Rowlette, Ronna and K. Wilson. Rowlette Research Associates, Inc. 2003. Youth Development and Violence Prevention in K-12 Schools: The Who, What, Why, and What Next. Tampa, FL: Rowlette Research Associates.)

In a national study, 46 percent of students said they were hit, kicked, shoved, or tripped at least once in the previous month, and 18 percent had experienced this five or more times. One in 12 students – eight percent - were forced to do sexual things at least once in the prior month; three percent were forced five or more times. (Ibid.)

One in fourteen students carries a weapon to school one or more days each month. (Ibid.)

A 2003 study of sexual harassment in secondary schools found that 27 percent of sexual harassment of students was conducted by adult school employees. Teachers comprised 81 percent of the offending group. (Timmerman, G. 2003. “Sexual Harassment of Adolescents Perpetrated by Teachers and by Peers: An Exploration of the Dynamics of Power, Culture, and Gender in Secondary Schools.” Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 48(5/6), 231-244.)