Table 6.1. Percentage of public schools experiencing and reporting incidents of crime, number of incidents, and the number of incidents per 1,000 students, by type of crime: Various school years, 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005

Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2008

NCES 2009-022
April 2009

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Table 6.1.

Percentage of public schools experiencing and reporting incidents of crime, number of incidents, and the number of incidents per 1,000 students, by type of crime: Various school years, 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005–06

Type of crime	Experienced various types of crime							Reported various types of crime to police
	1999–2000		2003–04	2005–06				1999–2000		2003–04	2005–06
	Percent of schools		Percent of schools	Percent of schools	Number of incidents		Number of incidents per 1,000 students	Percent of schools		Percent of schools	Percent of schools	Number of incidents		Number of incidents per 1,000 students
Total	86.4		88.5	85.7	2,191,000		45.8	62.5		65.2	60.9	763,000		16.0

Violent incidents	71.4		81.4	77.7	1,489,400		31.2	36.0		43.6	37.7	353,600		7.4
Physical attack or fight without a weapon	63.7		76.7	74.3	897,700		18.8	25.8		35.6	29.2	205,400		4.3
Threat of physical attack without a weapon	52.2		53.0	52.2	532,600		11.1	18.9		21.0	19.7	116,500		2.4
Serious violent incidents	19.7		18.3	17.1	59,100		1.2	14.8		13.3	12.6	31,700		0.7
Rape or attempted rape	0.7		0.8	0.3	300		#	0.6		0.8	0.3	300		#
Sexual battery other than rape	2.5		3.0	2.8	4,200		0.1	2.3		2.6	2.6	3,800		0.1
Physical attack or fight with a weapon	5.2		4.0	3.0	7,000		0.1	3.9		2.8	2.2	3,600		0.1
Threat of physical attack with a weapon	11.1		8.6	8.8	24,800		0.5	8.5		6.0	5.9	9,800		0.2
Robbery with a weapon	0.5	!	0.6	0.4	600	!	#	0.3	!	0.6	0.4	600	!	#
Robbery without a weapon	5.3		6.3	6.4	22,100		0.5	3.4		4.2	4.9	13,600		0.3

Theft¹	45.6		46.0	46.0	242,700		5.1	28.5		30.5	27.9	119,400		2.5

Other incidents	72.7		64.0	68.2	458,900		9.6	52.0		50.0	50.6	290,000		6.1
Possession of a firearm/explosive device	5.5		6.1	7.2	12,300		0.3	4.5		4.9	5.5	10,100		0.2
Possession of a knife or sharp object²	42.6		15.9	42.8	90,000		1.9	23.0		12.1	25.0	54,500		1.1
Distribution of illegal drugs	12.3		12.9	—	—		—	11.4		12.4	—	—		—
Possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs	26.6		29.3	—	—		—	22.2		26.0	—	—		—
Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs	—		—	25.9	117,000		2.4	—		—	22.8	100,500		2.1
Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol	—		—	16.2	46,800		1.0	—		—	11.6	33,600		0.7
Sexual harassment	36.3		—	—	—		—	14.7		—	—	—		—
Vandalism	51.4		51.4	50.5	192,800		4.0	32.7		34.3	31.9	91,400		1.9
— Not available.
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution.
¹ Theft/larceny (taking things worth over $10 without personal confrontation) was defined for respondents as "the unlawful taking of another person's property without personal confrontation, threat, violence, or bodily harm. Included are pocket picking, stealing a purse or backpack (if left unattended or no force was used to take it from owner), theft from a building, theft from a motor vehicle or of motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of bicycles, theft from vending machines, and all other types of thefts."
² The questionnaire wording for possession of a knife or sharp object differed between survey administrations. In 1999–2000 and 2005–06, the question asked about possession of a knife or sharp object. In 2003–04, the question referred to possession of a knife or sharp object with intent to harm, and was not comparable to data for 1999–2000 and 2005–06.
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities that happen in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Respondents were instructed to include incidents that occurred before, during, or after normal school hours or when school activities or events were in session. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Estimates of number of incidents are rounded to the nearest 100.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005–06 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2000, 2004, and 2006.

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National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education
Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Education Statistics