What the Research Says

Schools should be a safe haven for teaching and learning and be free of crime and violence. Any instance of crime or violence at school not only affects those directly involved but also has implications for the broader school community and the community at large.

Federal Report: School Still Safest Place for Young People

Each fall the federal government presents the most recent data available on school crime and student/staff safety. "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005," released in November 2005, shows that young people are more likely to be victims of violent crime away from school than they are at school itself. In fact, this study shows that school is still the safest place for kids -- more so than any place they go all day, including their homes.

The report, a collaborative effort between the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics, shows that violent crime rates in the nation's schools, unchanged between 2002 and 2003, remained at about half those recorded in 1992.  You can read the press release from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, or access the full report online.

Other Statistics Related to School Safety

• A child is twice as likely to be the victim of a violent crime at or near home than at a school. (Census Bureau. 1998 Statistical Abstract.)
• A child is four times as likely to be the victim of a violent crime on the street, in a commercial establishment, park, or parking lot than at school. (Census Bureau: 1998 Statistical Abstract.)
• Only 10 percent of schools report any instance of serious crime. And 43 percent report no crime at all. (NCES: Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools, 1996-97)
• The number of youths who said they carried a weapon to school fell by 28 percent between 1991 and 1997. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: August 1999)
• More than 99 percent of school-age children's deaths occur away from school. (Justice Policy Institute: 1999)
• In general, the public believes schools are becoming more dangerous-even while crime rates have declined, yet most students report they feel safe at school. Some 87 percent of students say their schools are safe. (New York Times/CBS News. October 1999)
• An estimated one (1) in five (5) children, ages 9-17, has a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder involving at least minimum impairment of their functioning at school, home or with peers. (U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health: 1999)