Crime and Safety in Schools and on College Campuses

The annual Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2021, jointly produced by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at IES and the Bureau of Justice Statistics at the U.S. Department of Justice, highlights new data on victimization, bullying, school conditions, safety and security measures at school, and postsecondary campus safety and security.  Overall, several crime and safety issues have become less prevalent in the nation’s schools and college campuses over the past decade, while some have become more prevalent. Lower percentages of public schools in 2019–20 than in 2009–10 reported that each of the following discipline problems occurred at least once a week: student bullying (15 percent in 2019-20 vs. 23 percent in 2009-10), student sexual harassment of other students (2 vs. 3 percent), and student harassment of other students based on sexual orientation or gender identity (2 vs. 3 percent). However, cyberbullying has become more prevalent. A higher percentage of public schools reported cyberbullying in 2019–20 than in 2009–10 (16 vs. 8 percent). There were more school shootings with casualties during the 2020-21 school year, during the coronavirus pandemic, than in any other year since data collection began in the 2000-01 school year. Key findings from the report include:  In 2020–21, during the coronavirus pandemic, there were a total of 93 school shootings with casualties—the highest number since data collection began in 2000–01. School shootings are defined as incidents in which a gun is brandished or fired on school property. This definition includes shootings that happen on school property at any time, including during remote instruction.  Between 2009 and 2019, the total victimization rate at school decreased from 51 to 30 victimizations per 1,000 students. From 2019 to 2020, the total victimization rate at school continued to decline to 11 victimizations per 1,000—an annual decrease of more than 60 percent in the first year of the pandemic.  Lower percentages of public schools in 2019–20 than in 2009–10 reported that each of the following discipline problems occurred at least once a week: student bullying (15 vs. 23 percent), student sexual harassment of other students (2 vs. 3 percent), and student harassment of other students based on sexual orientation or gender identity (2 vs. 3 percent). However, a higher percentage of public schools reported cyberbullying in 2019–20 than in 2009–10 (16 vs. 8 percent). In 2019–20, about 52 percent of public schools reported having a written plan for procedures to be performed in the event of a pandemic disease. This percentage was higher than the percentage reported in 2017–18 (46 percent).  Some 55 percent of public schools (45,600 schools) reported providing diagnostic mental health assessment services to evaluate students for mental health disorders. Fewer public schools (42 percent, or 35,200 schools) offered mental health treatment services to students for mental health disorders.  Between 2009 and 2019, the rate of criminal incidents on college campuses decreased from 23.0 to 18.7 incidents per 10,000 full-time-equivalent students. However, the rate of reported forcible sex offenses on campus increased from 1.7 incidents per 10,000 students in 2009 to 8.0 incidents per 10,000 students in 2019. In 2019, a total of 757 hate crimes were reported on the campuses of postsecondary institutions. More than half of hate crimes at postsecondary institutions were motivated by race or ethnicity.