U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2017

NCJ Number
251413
Author(s)
Anian Zhang; Ke Wang; Jizhi Zhang; Jana Kemp; Melissa Diliberti; Barbara A. Oudekerk
Date Published
March 2018
Length
280 pages
Annotation
This report, which is the 20th in a series of annual publications, provides data on reliable indicators of the current state (2017) of school crime and safety across the nation.
Abstract

This annual report, produced jointly by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics, presents data on school crime and safety from the perspectives of students, teachers, and principals. It contains 23 indicators of school crime and safety, including violent deaths; nonfatal student and teacher victimization; school environment; fights, weapons, and illegal substances; fear and avoidance; discipline, safety, and security measures; and campus safety and security. Data sources include the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the NCVS, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), and the School and Staffing Survey (SASS).

  • In 2016, students ages 12-18 experienced 749,400 victimizations (theft and nonfatal violent victimization) at school and 601,300 victimizations away from school. The total victimization rates were 29 victimizations per 1,000 students at school and 24 per 1,000 students away from school.
  • In 2016, the rate of total victimization at school was higher for males (38 victimizations per 1,000 male students) than for females (20 per 1,000 female students).
  • During the 2015-16 school year, the percentage of public schools that reported student bullying occurred at least once a week was higher for middle schools (22%) than for high schools (15%), combined schools (11%), and primary schools (8%).
  • The percentage of public schools that had a plan in place for procedures to be performed in the event of a shooting increased over time, from 79% in 2003-04 to 92% in 2015-16.