NCJ Number
207261
Date Published
January 2002
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This literature review provides an overview of statistical and perceptual data on the prevalence of school-related violence.
Abstract
The literature review, which encompassed publications from the mid-1990's through 2001, focused on qualitative and quantitative research to determine how school-related violence has been measured and perceived by various social groups. The review focused on research pertinent to defining school-related violence, pertinent statistics, the diversity of public opinion on school-related violence, and whether statistics support public perceptions of school-related violence. Definitions of school-related violence varied significantly according to the expertise, interests, and academic disciplines of the authors. The broadest definition viewed school-related violence as any physical or psychological behavior on school grounds that produces a victim. Although the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on school-related violence was influenced by different methodologies and biases, there was an apparent consensus that school crime rates peaked in 1993-1994 and have declined significantly since then; however, in 1998, 12- to 18-year-olds were the victims of 2.7 million school crimes, including 152,700 nonfatal serious violence crimes. Still, this was half the number of such victimizations of this age group off school grounds. Public-opinion surveys have tended to indicate that most respondents were concerned about school-related violence and felt that a shooting was possible in their local schools. Students and teachers, however, perceived their schools to be safer than did parents, law enforcement officials, and the general public. Statistics on the prevalence of school-related crime did not generally support public perceptions. Implications are drawn for further research. 53 references