NCJ Number
149801
Date Published
1993
Length
126 pages
Annotation
A survey of more than 850 students in grades 6 through 9 in two schools in southern Ontario, Canada, gathered information on students' perceptions about violence and safety from violence in school and on their way to and from school, as well as their victimization experience.
Abstract
Results revealed notable differences in student perceptions in the two schools. Approximately 63 percent of the students in one school believed that a moderate amount to a lot of violence occurred at the school, compared to 45 percent of the students in the other school. Male and female students had generally similar perceptions. More than 8 of every 10 students had been exposed to violence either as a victim or through knowing a victim. Between one-third and one-half of the students did not report the incidents to school staff, parents, or the police. Between two-thirds and three-fourths of all students had committed or knew someone who had committed acts of violence, most often verbal harassment, bullying, threatening, or beating someone up. Students who were more likely to be perpetrators were least likely to be victims. Approximately half the students from both schools were unhappy with the way in which schools were responding to violence, believing that school officials do not take the issue seriously or see it as a source of fear and concern to students. Tables, figures, appended instruments, and 4 references