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Table 2.  Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of crime that occurred at school to police, the number of incidents reported to police, and the rate of incidents reported to police per 1,000 students, by incident type and selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

 
  Violent incidents reported to police1     Serious violent incidents reported to police2     Theft reported to police3     Other incidents reported to police4  
School characteristic Number of schools   Percent of schools   Number of incidents   Rate per 1,000 students     Number of schools   Percent of schools   Number of incidents   Rate per 1,000 students     Number of schools   Percent of schools   Number of incidents   Rate per 1,000 students     Number of schools   Percent of schools   Number of incidents   Rate per 1,000 students  
All public schools 33,000   39.9   303,900   6.4     8,600   10.4   23,500   0.5     36,500   44.1   258,500   5.5     38,300   46.3   262,400   5.5  
                                                                       
Level5                                                                      
Primary 10,300   21.1   35,300   1.6     2,700   5.5   6,100   0.3     12,600   25.7   41,700   1.8     14,800   30.3   40,100   1.8  
Middle 10,100   66.1   100,100   10.7     2,400   15.6   6,300   0.7     9,900   65.2   69,000   7.4     10,000   65.4   60,300   6.4  
High school 9,400   76.6   146,200   11.8     3,100   25.0   10,200   0.8     10,100   82.6   125,000   10.1     10,200   83.6   146,200   11.8  
Combined 3,200   51.0   22,300   7.5     500 ! 8.4   1,000 ! 0.3 !   3,800   60.5   22,700   7.6     3,300   52.0   15,900   5.3  
                                                                       
Enrollment size                                                                      
Less than 300 4,300   22.6   14,800   3.6     900 ! 4.7 ! 1,400   0.3 !   5,800   30.7   21,400   5.2     5,700   30.1   16,000   3.9  
300–499 7,900   31.4   36,700   3.5     1,800   7.1   3,600   0.4     9,200   36.4   40,900   3.9     10,100   40.2   33,100   3.2  
500–999 13,600   45.7   93,500   4.8     3,200   10.6   7,900   0.4     13,900   46.7   81,800   4.2     14,600   48.9   74,300   3.8  
1,000 or more 7,300   81.3   159,000   11.9     2,800   31.2   10,600   0.8     7,600   84.9   114,500   8.6     8,000   89.0   139,000   10.4  
                                                                       
Urbanicity                                                                      
City 9,200   42.6   94,100   6.8     3,000   14.0   9,200   0.7     10,200   47.6   85,400   6.2     10,900   50.6   91,000   6.6  
Suburb 9,500   40.0   107,600   6.5     2,400   10.0   7,300   0.4     10,300   43.1   81,000   4.9     11,300   47.5   85,700   5.2  
Town 5,200   43.1   39,100   6.6     1,200   9.8   2,100   0.4     5,600   46.2   33,400   5.7     5,800   48.1   35,900   6.1  
Rural 9,100   36.0   63,200   5.7     2,000   8.1   4,900   0.4     10,400   41.1   58,700   5.3     10,300   40.8   49,800   4.5  
                                                                       
Crime level where students live6                                                                      
High 3,400   57.8   57,700   15.0     1,400   24.1   6,200 ! 1.6 !   3,300   55.7   26,500   6.9     3,600   60.8   35,100   9.1  
Moderate 7,700   42.0   80,300   7.8     2,400   12.9   6,800   0.7     9,000   49.0   69,700   6.8     9,700   52.7   70,600   6.9  
Low 16,800   35.1   110,500   4.2     3,300   7.0   7,200   0.3     18,600   38.9   117,000   4.5     19,100   40.1   111,800   4.3  
Mixed 5,100   47.7   55,300   7.9     1,500   14.2   3,300   0.5     5,600   52.4   45,200   6.4     5,900   55.3   44,900   6.4  
                                                                       
Percent of combined Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native students                                                                     
Less than 5 percent 4,300   36.5   20,000   4.3     800   7.0   1,400   0.3 !   4,800   40.8   22,700   4.9     4,500   38.5   20,200   4.3  
5 to less than 20 percent 7,500   35.8   48,800   4.4     1,400   6.5   3,200   0.3     8,000   38.3   53,300   4.8     8,400   40.1   53,200   4.7  
20 to less than 50 percent 8,300   41.8   75,000   5.9     2,100   10.4   5,000   0.4     9,200   46.2   74,400   5.8     9,200   46.3   65,500   5.1  
50 percent or more 12,900   42.8   160,100   8.5     4,400   14.5   14,000   0.7     14,500   48.0   108,100   5.8     16,200   53.7   123,500   6.6  
                                                                       
Percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch                                                                      
0–20 percent 4,600   33.6   30,400   3.2     1,000   7.3   2,900   0.3     5,200   38.0   41,400   4.4     5,500   40.2   42,300   4.5  
21–50 percent 10,900   41.7   87,900   5.7     2,700   10.4   5,700   0.4     12,800   48.8   95,900   6.2     12,400   47.2   88,800   5.7  
More than 50 percent 17,500   40.8   185,700   8.3     4,900   11.5   14,900   0.7     18,500   43.1   121,200   5.4     20,500   47.7   131,300   5.9  
                                                                       
Percent of students below 15th percentile on standardized tests                                                                      
0–5 percent 10,600   32.0   71,800   3.9     2,300   7.0   5,300   0.3     12,500   37.9   76,900   4.2     13,200   40.0   75,000   4.1  
6–15 percent 13,100   43.6   115,400   6.5     3,600   12.0   8,600   0.5     14,300   47.7   103,700   5.8     14,800   49.4   101,700   5.7  
More than 15 percent 9,400   47.6   116,800   10.3     2,700   13.8   9,600   0.9     9,700   49.0   77,900   6.9     10,300   52.2   85,700   7.6  
                                                                       
Percent of students likely to attend college                                                                      
0–35 percent 7,700   42.2   75,000   8.1     2,200   12.1   7,300   0.8     8,100   44.4   55,700   6.0     8,700   47.4   63,900   6.9  
36–60 percent 10,300   43.5   109,500   8.7     2,600   11.1   6,300   0.5     10,500   44.4   74,700   5.9     11,500   48.9   77,100   6.1  
More than 60 percent 15,000   36.8   119,400   4.7     3,800   9.3   10,000   0.4     17,900   43.7   128,100   5.0     18,200   44.4   121,400   4.8  
                                                                       
Percent of students who consider academic achievement important                                                                      
0–25 percent 1,900   40.6   17,400   7.6     600   12.9   1,400   0.6     2,300   48.8   17,100   7.5     2,400   52.0   17,100   7.5  
26–50 percent 6,100   50.2   78,100   11.6     1,700   14.4   5,000   0.7     6,600   54.2   50,900   7.5     6,400   52.7   52,000   7.7  
51–75 percent 10,100   43.5   93,600   7.3     2,600   11.0   6,700   0.5     10,900   46.8   74,500   5.8     11,700   50.3   79,700   6.2  
More than 75 percent 14,900   34.9   114,900   4.5     3,700   8.8   10,500   0.4     16,700   39.2   116,100   4.6     17,800   41.7   113,600   4.5  
                                                                       
Percent male enrollment                                                                      
0–44 percent 3,000   36.2   21,700   5.1     900   10.4   2,400 ! 0.6     3,200   38.1   16,600   3.9     3,700   43.9   18,900   4.5  
45–55 percent 27,200   41.2   259,100   6.6     7,300   11.0   19,900   0.5     30,500   46.2   229,200   5.8     30,900   46.9   226,800   5.8  
More than 55 percent 2,800   33.3   23,100   6.2     500   6.2   1,200   0.3 !   2,800   33.7   12,700   3.4     3,700   44.2   16,700   4.5  
                                                                       
Student-to-FTE ratio7                                                                      
Less than 12 students 4,500   36.8   29,000   6.9     1,100   8.8   2,200   0.5     5,600   45.2   24,500   5.8     5,700   46.4   22,100   5.3  
12–16 students 13,500   41.6   128,500   7.4     3,300   10.0   7,900   0.5     14,200   43.5   90,200   5.2     14,800   45.6   88,900   5.1  
More than 16 students 15,000   39.5   146,500   5.7     4,300   11.3   13,500   0.5     16,700   44.2   143,800   5.6     17,800   46.9   151,500   5.9  
                                                                       
Number of classroom changes 8                                                                      
0–3 changes 4,000   21.3   25,900   2.9     1,200   6.1   3,500 ! 0.4 !   4,000   20.9   14,900   1.7     6,400   34.0   24,300   2.7  
4–6 changes 14,700   39.4   136,100   6.2     3,800   10.2   9,200   0.4     16,500   44.2   126,200   5.7     16,600   44.7   126,000   5.7  
More than 6 changes 14,300   53.8   141,900   8.7     3,700   13.9   10,800   0.7     16,100   60.4   117,400   7.2     15,300   57.4   112,100   6.8  
                                                                       
Regular use of law enforcement 9                                                                      
Regular use 20,800   58.7   261,500   9.8     6,400   18.1   19,900   0.7     21,300   60.2   198,800   7.4     21,500   60.7   211,600   7.9  
No regular use 12,300   25.9   42,400   2.1     2,300   4.8   3,600   0.2     15,200   32.0   59,700   2.9     16,900   35.6   50,800   2.5  
                                                                       
Number of serious discipline problems10                                                                      
No problems 19,500   32.6   142,300   4.4     4,500   7.5   9,200   0.3     22,400   37.4   129,600   4.0     24,600   41.2   136,500   4.3  
1 problem 7,700   55.2   72,400   8.1     2,000   14.5   5,700   0.6     8,200   58.8   63,800   7.2     8,000   57.3   58,200   6.5  
2 problems 2,300   56.0   40,600   13.5     700   15.7   2,500 ! 0.8 !   2,800   65.9   26,000   8.6     2,500   60.0   26,300   8.7  
3 or more problems 3,400   72.1   48,600   14.2     1,500   31.0   6,100   1.8     3,100   65.0   39,100   11.5     3,200   66.8   41,400   12.1  
                                                                       
Transfers as a percentage of enrollment11                                                                      
Less than 6 percent 6,200   30.8   36,700   3.3     1,200   5.8   3,000   0.3     7,500   37.3   46,000   4.1     7,600   37.7   40,900   3.6  
6 to less than 11 percent 7,500   40.4   56,700   5.4     2,500   13.3   5,100   0.5     8,200   44.4   57,800   5.5     8,500   45.8   56,100   5.4  
11 to less than 21 percent 9,800   43.6   90,900   6.8     2,500   11.2   6,000   0.4     10,800   48.0   78,900   5.9     11,900   52.8   80,000   6.0  
21 percent or more 9,600   44.1   119,600   9.7     2,500   11.5   9,400   0.8     10,000   46.0   75,800   6.1     10,400   48.0   85,400   6.9  
                                                                       
Prevalence of schoolwide
disruptions12
                                                                     
No disruptions 30,800   39.3   273,900   6.2     7,800   10.0   20,600   0.5     33,700   42.9   230,300   5.2     35,600   45.3   232,200   5.2  
Any disruptions 2,200   51.5   30,000   10.0     800   19.5   2,900 ! 1.0 !   2,800   64.9   28,200   9.4     2,700   64.2   30,200   10.1  
                                                                       
Percent of students absent on a daily basis                                                                       
0–2 percent 1,500   27.2   14,600   4.9     300   6.2   1,700 ! 0.6 !   1,800   34.2   15,600   5.3     1,500   28.7   11,400   3.8  
3–5 percent 16,400   34.0   117,800   4.5     3,600   7.4   9,200   0.3     18,600   38.4   109,000   4.1     20,100   41.7   108,000   4.1  
6–10 percent 12,800   52.0   141,400   9.3     4,000   16.4   9,500   0.6     13,700   55.4   110,500   7.3     14,300   58.1   118,800   7.9  
More than 10 percent 2,300   52.5   30,100   10.8     700   15.3   3,100 ! 1.1     2,400   55.4   23,400   8.4     2,300   53.0   24,200   8.7  
!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.
1Violent incidents include rape or attempted rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with or without a weapon, threat of physical attack with or without a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.
2 Serious violent incidents include rape or attempted rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with a weapon, threat of physical attack with a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.
3Theft 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 of motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of a bicycle, theft from a vending machine, and all other types of thefts."
4Other 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.
5Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.
6Respondents were asked, "How would you describe the crime level in the area(s) in which your students live?" Response options included "high level of crime," "moderate level of crime," "low level of crime," and "students come from areas with very different levels of crime."
7Student-to-FTE ratio was calculated by dividing the total number of students enrolled in the school by the total number of full-time-equivalent teachers and aides. The total number of full-time-equivalent teachers and aides is a combination of the full-time and part-time teachers and aides, including special education teachers and aides, with an adjustment to compensate for the part-time status.
8Respondents were asked, "How many classroom changes do most students make in a typical day?" Responses exclude morning arrival and afternoon departure.
9Respondents were asked, "During the 2009–10 school year, did you have any security guards, security personnel, or sworn law enforcement officers present at your school at least once a week?"
10Serious discipline problems include student racial/ethnic tensions, student bullying, student sexual harassment of other students, student verbal abuse of teachers, widespread disorder in classrooms, student acts of disrespect for teachers other than verbal abuse, gang activities, and cult or extremist group activities. If a respondent reported that any of these problems occurred daily or weekly in their school, each was counted once in the total number of serious discipline problems.
11Transfers as a percentage of enrollment combines the number of students who were transferred to a school and the number of students who were transferred from a school divided by the total number of students enrolled in the school.
12Schoolwide disruptions include actions that disrupted school activities such as death threats, bomb threats, and chemical, biological, or radiological threats. Respondents were instructed to exclude all fire alarms, including false alarms.
NOTE: "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS).