NCJ Number
206660
Date Published
December 2000
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This report presents statistical data on violent incidents on school property in West Virginia during the 1999-2000 school year.
Abstract
Violence on school property has been brought to the attention of the public due to the massive media coverage of a few violent school incidents. Based on the findings reported here, West Virginia is not experiencing a school violence crisis. According to preliminary data, from July 1999 through June 2000, there were 1,323 incidents on school property in West Virginia that involved a law enforcement response. Each county in West Virginia except two reported at least one violence-related incident on school property during the 1999-2000 school year. Approximately half (50.7 percent) of the offenders in these school incidents were juveniles; 67.3 percent were between the ages of 12 and 17 years. Males comprised 77.9 percent of all school-related offenders and were 51.7 percent of the victims. Almost one-quarter of all school offenses occurred between female offenders and female victims, while only 5.4 percent of offenses occurred between female offenders and male victims. White offenders were involved in 88.1 percent of school-related offenses, while Black offenders were involved in 11.3 percent of the offenses. The Black male offender rate was higher than any other group and was more than three times as high as the Black female and While male offender rates. Black females had the highest victimization rate, followed closely by Black males and White males. The majority of incidents (86.2 percent) involved White offenders and White victims. Data from the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated that in West Virginia, students fear for their safety at school was below the National average; 4.4 percent of West Virginia high school students reported missing one or more days of school in the past month due to fear for their safety. Among high school students in West Virginia, 9.8 percent reported carrying a weapon on school property during the past month and 13.1 percent reported being in a physical fight on school property. No school-related violent deaths were reported in West Virginia during the period 1992 to 2000. Tables, graphs, works cited