School Security: Statistics 101

School security by the numbers

By Scott Berinato

November 07, 2007 — CSO — Statistics 101

Injury and fatalities at school are, generally, trending downward, and the risk of dying at school remains vanishingly rare. But the risk is so spectacular that competing towns find themselves building in the latest high-tech security to attract the best educators and also satisfy the demands of parents who believe the risks are more common than they are. Some numbers&

1 in 2 million Chances of a K12 student dying at school by violence or suicide

5.5 Percent of K12 students were victims of theft or violent crime at school

81 Percent of schools reported one violent incident or more at their site

27 Percent reported bullying

17 Percent reported undesirable gang activity

11 Percent reported verbal abuse against teachers

3 Percent reported undesirable extremist/cult activity

3 Percent reported widespread disorder in a classroom

2 Percent reported racial tension

6/8 Percent of teachers were threatened with injury by a student in an elementary/secondary school

4/2 Percent of teachers reported being physically attacked by a student in an elementary/secondary school

21 Percent of students in suburban schools reported gang activity

18 Percent of males had been in a fight on school property in the last 12 months

10 Percent of males carried a weapon on school property in the last 30 days

4 Percent of students drank alcohol on school property in the last 30 days

5 Percent of students used marijuana on school property in the last 30 days

Source: U.S. Department of Justice Statistics on School Crime and Safety for the 200405 School Year (the most recent data available), based on 55 million enrolled K12 students

Read more about physical security in CSOonline's Physical Security section.

Other stories by Scott Berinato

• Print

• Securing the Suburban High School
• Security Lessons Learned at the Suburban High School
• School Security: Wrangling over Risks
• The Five Elements of a School Security Plan
• Four Low-Cost, High-Yield School Security Techniques