NCJ Number
208535
Date Published
February 2004
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This report summarizes findings from the 1999-2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS).
Abstract
The SSOCS, sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), provides a measure of the amount of crime, violence, and disorder in public schools across the Nation, as well as the practices and programs used by schools to identify and eliminate potential problems. The 2000 survey involved a nationally representative sample of 2,270 regular public elementary, middle, secondary, and combined schools in the United States. Data indicated that in 1999-2000, 71 percent of public elementary and secondary schools experienced at least 1 violent incident and approximately 1.5 million violent incidents occurred on school grounds around the United States. The most frequently reported disciplinary problem during the study period was student bullying (29 percent) followed by student acts of disrespect and gang activities (19 percent each). Approximately 54 percent of public schools took serious disciplinary action during the study period. Most violence prevention programs around the Nation took the form of counseling, social work, psychological, or therapeutic interventions, while the least utilized violence prevention initiative was the use of a hotline or tipline. In 1999-2000, 66 percent of schools trained teachers in classroom management while another 35 percent trained teachers and aides in the early warning signs of violence. The most frequently reported school safety practice was the use of a visitor check-in when entering the school building (97 percent). Finally, 92 percent of schools have crisis management plans for natural disasters, while 74 percent have such plans for shooting incidents. Inadequate funding was reported by 62 percent of schools as the main barrier to reducing crime in schools. Figures