1.5 million crimes at school in 2007

Students age 12-18 were victims of about 1.5 million crimes at school in 2007, with about 55 percent of these crimes reported as the thefts and the rest reported as violent crimes ranging from simple assault and serious violence.

A joint effort by the National Center for Education Statistics of the Institute of Education Sciences and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2009" provides the most current detailed statistical information on crimes occurring in school as well as on the way to and from school. This annual report includes data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the School Survey on Crime and Safety and the School and Staffing Survey. Other findings include:

* Preliminary data show that among youth ages 5 to 18, there were 43 school-associated violent deaths from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. In each year during the period 1992–93 to 2006–07, there were at least 50 times as many homicides of youth away from school than at school and generally at least 150 times as many suicides of youth away from school than at school. For example, in 2006-07, there were 30 homicides of school-age youth at school, and 1,718 homicides of school age youth away from school. In addition, there were 8 suicides of school-age youth at school, and 1,288 homicides of school-age youth away from school.

* In 2007, 4 percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported being victimized at school during the previous 6 months: 3 percent reported theft, and 2 percent reported violent victimization. Although there was an overall decline in the victimization rates for students ages 12 to 18 at school between 1992 and 2007, there was no measurable difference in the rate of crime at school between 2004 and 2007.

* During the 2007–08 school year, 85 percent of public schools recorded that at least one violent crime, theft, or other crime occurred at their school. One-quarter of schools recorded no violent crimes, and 24 percent of schools recorded 20 or more violent crimes.

* During the 2007–08 school year, a greater percentage of teachers in city schools (10 percent) reported being threatened with injury than teachers in town schools (7 percent) and suburban or rural schools (6 percent each).