Guns at School

• In 1995, older students were more likely than younger students to report knowing a student who brought a gun to school.

• Street gang presence at a student's school was related to knowing another student who brought a gun to school (24.8 percent v. 7.7 percent). In addition, street gang presence at a student's school was related to seeing another student with a gun at school (11.9 percent v. 2.8 percent).

• Students who reported that drugs were available at school were more likely to have known another student who brought a gun to school (16.8 percent), and to have seen another student with a gun at school (7.4 percent) than were students who reported that drugs were not available (4.0 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively).

Additional findings about student reports of guns at school from table 5:

• In 1995, almost no students reported taking a gun to school (less than one half of one percent), 5.3 percent reported seeing another student with a gun at school, and 12.7 percent reported knowing another student who brought a gun to school.
• Black, non-Hispanic students were more likely than white, non-Hispanic students to report knowing another student who brought a gun to school (15.5 percent versus 12.3 percent). Black, non-Hispanic students were also more likely to report seeing another student with a gun at school than were white, non-Hispanic students (8.7 percent v. 4.4 percent).
• Students residing in central cities were more likely to report knowing another student who brought a gun to school (15.0 percent) than were students from suburban areas (12.3 percent) or students from nonmetropolitan areas (11.1 percent). Similarly, students from central cities were more likely to report seeing another student with a gun at school (6.8 percent) than were suburban or nonmetropolitan area students (each 4.8 percent).
• Public school students were more likely to report knowing another student who brought a gun to school than were students attending private schools (13.6 percent v. 4.4 percent). Public school students were also more likely to report seeing another student who brought a gun to school than were students attending private schools (5.7 percent v. 2.0 percent, respectively).