Violent Deaths at School

Violent deaths are tragic events that affect not only the individuals directly involved but also everyone in the schools where they occur. Violent deaths at school have been the focus of recent attention; monitoring the magnitude of this problem is important.

• Seventy-six youth were murdered or committed suicide at school³ during the combined 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years (the latest period for which data are available) (figure 8.1 and table 8.1). Nonstudent violent deaths also occurred at school. During this period, there was a total of 105 violent deaths at school of which 29 involved nonstudents.

• Most murders and suicides of young people occurred while they were away from school. In the combined 1992 and 1993 calendar years, 7,357 young people ages 5 through 19 were murdered, and 4,366 committed suicide in all locations (figure 8.1).

• Students in higher grades were more likely to be victims of violent death at school than those in lower grades during the combined 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years (figure 8.2 and table 8.1). Students in grades 9 through 12 had an estimated rate of school-associated violent death that was 13 times greater than that of students in grades 8 and under.

• Of those who were murdered or who committed suicide at school during the combined 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years, black students were more likely than their counterparts from other racial-ethnic groups to be victims (figure 8.2 and table 8.1).

• Students in urban schools also had a higher level of risk than their peers in suburban or rural schools (figure 8.2 and table 8.1). The estimated rate of school-associated violent death for students in urban schools was nine times greater than the rate for students in rural schools and two times greater than that for students in suburban schools during the combined 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Homicides or suicides could have happened during any time of the day, not just during school hours. For this indicator, "at school" includes on school property, on the way to or from school, and while attending or traveling to or from an official school-sponsored event.