Bullying can contribute to an environment of fear and intimidation in schools (Carney, Hazler, and Higgins 2002; Ericson 2001). In the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, students ages 12-18 were asked if they had been bullied (for example, picked on or made to do things they did not want to do) at school during the previous 6 months. In recent years, fewer than 1 in 10 students reported being bullied at school during the last 6 months. Although the percentage who had been bullied increased from 5 percent in 1999 to 8 percent in 2001, no difference was detected between 2001 and 2003 (figure 12.1 and table 12.1). In 2003, 7 percent of students reported that they had been bullied at school.

In 2003, White students were more likely than Hispanic students to report being bullied (8 vs. 6 percent; table 12.1). No other differences were detected in the percentage of students who reported that they had been bullied according to students’ race/ethnicity or sex.

Grade level was inversely related to students’ likelihood of being bullied: as grade level increased, students' likelihood of being bullied decreased (figure 12.2 and table 12.1). For example, in 2003, 14 percent of 6th-graders, 7 percent of 9th-graders, and 2 percent of 12th-graders reported that they had been bullied at school.

In 2003, public school students were more likely to report being bullied than private school students (7 vs. 5 percent). In the same year, rural students were more likely than their urban and suburban counterparts to report being bullied (10 percent of rural students vs. 7 percent each of urban and suburban students).

Figure 12.1. Percentage of students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school during the previous 6 months, by sex: 1999, 2001, and 2003



NOTE: In the 1999 survey, “at school” was defined as in the school building, on the school grounds, or on a school bus. In the 2001 and 2003 surveys, “at school” was defined as in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, or going to and from school. See appendix A for more information.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 1999, 2001, and 2003.

Figure 12.2. Percentage of students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school during the previous 6 months, by grade and school sector: 2003



NOTE: “At school” was defined as in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, or going to and from school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 2003.

View Table 12.1