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Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2011
NCES 2012-002
February 2012

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Table 6.1.

Percentage distribution of public schools recording and reporting incidents of crime at school, number of incidents, and the rate of crimes per 1,000 students, by type of crime: Various school years, 1999–2000 through 2009–10

Type of crime Recorded incidents   Reported incidents to police  
1999–2000   2003–04   2005–06   2007–08   2009–10   1999–2000   2003–04   2005–06   2007–08   2009–10  
Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Number
of
incidents		   Rate per
1,000
students		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Percent
of
schools		   Number
of
incidents		   Rate per
1,000
students		  
Total 86.4   88.5   85.7   85.5   85.0   1,876,900   39.6   62.5   65.2   60.9   62.0   60.0   689,100   14.6  
                                                         
Violent incidents 71.4   81.4   77.7   75.5   73.8   1,183,700   25.0   36.0   43.6   37.7   37.8   39.9   303,900   6.4  
Physical attack or fight without a weapon 63.7   76.7   74.3   72.7   70.5   725,300   15.3   25.8   35.6   29.2   28.2   34.3   194,200   4.1  
Threat of physical attack without a weapon 52.2   53.0   52.2   47.8   46.4   405,900   8.6   18.9   21.0   19.7   19.5   15.2   86,200   1.8  
Serious violent incidents 19.7   18.3   17.1   17.2   16.4   52,500   1.1   14.8   13.3   12.6   12.6   10.4   23,500   0.5  
Rape or attempted rape 0.7   0.8   0.3   0.8   0.5   600   #   0.6   0.8   0.3   0.8   0.5   500   #  
Sexual battery other than rape 2.5   3.0   2.8   2.5   2.3   3,600   0.1   2.3   2.6   2.6   2.1   1.4   2,200   #  
Physical attack or fight with a weapon 5.2   4.0   3.0   3.0   3.9   14,300   0.3   3.9   2.8   2.2   2.1   2.2   4,400   0.1  
Threat of physical attack with a weapon 11.1   8.6   8.8   9.3   7.7   19,200   0.4   8.5   6.0   5.9   5.7   4.5   7,400   0.2  
Robbery with a weapon 0.5 ! 0.6   0.4   0.4 ! 0.2   400 ! #   0.3 ! 0.6   0.4   0.4 ! 0.2   400 ! #  
Robbery without a weapon 5.3   6.3   6.4   5.2   4.4   14,300   0.3   3.4   4.2   4.9   4.1   3.5   8,500   0.2  
Theft1 45.6   46.0   46.0   47.3   44.1   258,500   5.5   28.5   30.5   27.9   31.0   25.4   122,800   2.6  
Other incidents2 72.7   64.0   68.2   67.4   68.1   434,700   9.2   52.0   50.0   50.6   48.7   46.3   262,400   5.5  
Possession of a firearm/explosive device 5.5   6.1   7.2   4.7   4.7   5,000   0.1   4.5   4.9   5.5   3.6   3.1   3,400   0.1  
Possession of a knife or sharp object 42.6   —   42.8   40.6   39.7   72,300   1.5   23.0   —   25.0   23.3   20.0   37,400   0.8  
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   23.2   24.6   115,900   2.4   —   —   22.8   20.7   21.4   94,200   2.0  
Inappropriate distribution, possession, or use
   of prescription drugs		 —   —   —   —   12.1   29,300   0.6   —   —   —   —   9.6   24,900   0.5  
Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol —   —   16.2   14.9   14.1   40,700   0.9   —   —   11.6   10.6   10.0   28,000   0.6  
Sexual harassment 36.3   —   —   —   —   —   —   14.7   —   —   —   —   —   —  
Vandalism 51.4   51.4   50.5   49.3   45.8   171,500   3.6   32.7   34.3   31.9   30.8   26.8   74,500   1.6  
— Not available.
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 30 percent or greater.
1 "Theft or 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." This includes 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 motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of a bicycle, theft from a vending machine, and all other types of thefts.
2 For SSOCS:2000, SSOCS:2004, SSOCS:2006, and SSOCS:2008, "other incidents" include possession of a firearm or explosive device; possession of a knife or sharp object; distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol; and vandalism. Beginning in 2009–10 the definition of other incidents was changed to include the inappropriate distribution, possession, or use of prescription drugs in addition to the aformentioned items. Caution should be used when making direct comparisons between years.
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, 2005–06, 2007–08, and 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010.
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