Report on Indicators of
School Crime and Safety: 2022
NCES 2023-092
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NCJ 307328
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS
A Publication of the National Center for Education Statistics at IES
Report on Indicators of
School Crime and Safety: 2022
Véronique Irwin
National Center for Education Statistics
Ke Wang
Jiashan Cui
American Institutes for Research
Alexandra Thompson
Bureau of Justice Statistics
NCES 2023092
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
September 2023
NCJ 307328
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS
U.S. Department of Education
Miguel A. Cardona
Secretary
Institute of Education Sciences
Mark Schneider
Director
National Center for Education Statistics
Pegy G. Carr
Commissioner
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting, analyzing, and reporting
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disseminating statistical information about crime, its perpetrators and victims, and the operation of the justice system
at all levels of government. It fullls a congressional mandate to provide valid statistics on crime and justice systems,
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Suggested Citation
Irwin, V., Wang, K., Cui, J., and Thompson, A. (2023). Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 (NCES
2023092/NCJ 307328). National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice
Statistics, Oce of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, DC. Retrieved [date] from https://nces.
ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2023092.
This publication is only available online. To download, view, and print the entire report as a PDF le, go to https://nces.
ed.gov or https://bjs.ojp.gov.
Contact at NCES
Véronique Irwin
2022456108
Veronique.Irwin@ed.gov
Contact at BJS
Alexandra Thompson
2025325472
Alexandra.[email protected]v
U.S. Department of Justice
Merrick Garland
Attorney General
Oce of Justice Programs
Am
y L. Solomon
Assistant Attorney General
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Kevin M. Scott
Principal Deputy Director
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022
provides the most recent national indicators on school
crime and safety. The information presented in this report
serves as a reference for policymakers and practitioners
so that they can develop eective programs and policies
aimed at violence and school crime prevention. Accurate
information about the nature, extent, and scope of the
problem being addressed is essential for developing
eective programs and policies.
This is the 25th edition of Indicators of School Crime and
Safety, a joint eort of the Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS) and the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES). This report provides summary statistics to
inform the nation about current aspects of crime and
safety in schools.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety includes the
most recent available data at the time of its development,
compiled from a number of statistical data sources
supported by the federal government. Such sources
include results from the School-Associated Violent Death
Surveillance System, sponsored by the U.S. Department
of Education, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC); the
National Vital Statistics System, sponsored byCDC; the
School Shooting Safety Compendium, sponsored by
the U.S. Department of Defense; the Studies of Active
Shooter Incidents, sponsored by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation; the National Crime Victimization Survey
and School Crime Supplement to that survey, sponsored
by BJS and NCES, respectively; the Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance System, sponsored by CDC; the School Survey
on Crime and Safety, Fast Response Survey System,
EDFacts, and National Teacher and Principal Survey, all
sponsored by NCES; and the Campus Safety and Security
Survey, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.
Some of these data are collected annually, while others are
collected less frequently.
T
his report is available as a PDF le at https://nces.ed.gov
or https://bjs.ojp.gov. BJS and NCES continue to work
together in order to provide timely and complete data on
the issues of school-related violence and safety.
Pegy G. Carr
Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Kevin M. Scott
Principal Deputy Director
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Foreword
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | iii
The authors are grateful to the sponsoring agencies, the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), for supporting this report.
From BJS, we wish to thank Susannah Tapp, who veried
data from the National Crime Victimization Survey.
Outside of NCES and BJS, Nancy Brener and Tia Rogers
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
generously provided data and performed a review of data
documentation. We also value the review of this report
and the continued support provided by the Oce of Safe
and Healthy Students.
The authors would like to thank the many individuals
who completed the survey instruments that make this
report possible.
Acknowledgments
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | iv
Contents
Page
Foreword .......................................................................... iii
Acknowledgments .................................................................. iv
List of Figures ...................................................................... vi
Introduction ....................................................................... 1
Highlights ......................................................................... 2
Violent Deaths, School Shootings, and Active Shooter Incidents ............................ 4
Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization ............................................ 6
Criminal Victimization Experienced by Students ....................................... 6
Student Reports of Bullying Victimization ............................................. 7
Teacher Victimization ............................................................. 9
School Environment ................................................................ 10
Criminal Incidents and Discipline Problems Reported by Public Schools .................... 10
Gangs and Hate-Related Speech ..................................................... 12
Student Fear and Avoidance ........................................................ 14
Teachers’ Reports of Student Behavior and Rule Enforcement ............................ 15
Fights, Weapons, and Illegal Substances ................................................ 16
Student Involvement in Physical Fights ............................................... 16
Students Carrying Weapons and Threats and Injuries With Weapons ....................... 18
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Illegal Drugs ................................................ 19
Safety, Discipline, and Mental Health Practices .......................................... 21
Safety and Security Measures ....................................................... 21
Disciplinary Actions .............................................................. 22
Mental Health Services ............................................................ 24
Postsecondary Campus Safety and Security ............................................. 26
Active Shooter Incidents ........................................................... 26
Criminal Incidents ............................................................... 26
Hate Crime Incidents ............................................................. 28
References ......................................................................... 30
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | v
List of Figures
Page
1. Number of active shooter incidents at elementary and secondary schools: 2000 through 2021 .......... 5
2. Rate of nonfatal victimization against students ages 1218 per 1,000 students, by location: 2010
through2021 ............................................................................ 7
3. Percentage of students ages 1218 who reported being bullied at school during the school year, by
selected student and school characteristics: 2019 ............................................... 8
4. Percentage of public school teachers who reported that they were threatened with injury or physically
attacked by a student from their school during the previous 12 months, by instructional level: School
year 202021 ............................................................................ 9
5. Percentage of public schools recording one or more incidents of crime at school and percentage
reporting incidents to sworn law enforcement: Selected years, 200910 through 201920 .............. 11
6. Percentage of public schools reporting selected discipline problems that occurred at least once a week:
School years 200910 and 201920 ........................................................... 12
7. Percentage of students ages 1218 who reported a gang presence, being called hate-related words, and
seeing hate-related grati at school during the school year: Selected years, 2009 through 2019 ......... 13
8. Percentage of students ages 1218 who reported being afraid of attack or harm during the school year
and percentage who reported avoiding one or more places in school because of fear of attack or harm
during the school year: 2019 ............................................................... 14
9. Percentage of public school teachers who agreed that student misbehavior and student tardiness and
class cutting interfered with their teaching and percentage who agreed that other teachers and the
principal enforced school rules: School years 201112 and 202021 ................................. 15
10. Percentage of students in grades 912 who reported having been in a physical ght at least one time
during the previous 12 months, by race/ethnicity and location: 2019 ............................... 17
11. Percentage of students in grades 912 who reported carrying a weapon at least 1 day anywhere or on
school property during the previous 30 days and percentage who reported being threatened or injured
with a weapon on school property at least one time during the previous 12 months: 2009, 2017, and 2019 .. 18
12. Percentage of students in grades 912 who reported using alcohol at least 1 day during the previous
30days, by selected student characteristics: 2019 .............................................. 19
13. Percentage of students in grades 912 who reported that illegal drugs were made available to them on
school property during the previous 12 months, by race/ethnicity and sexual identity: 2019 ............ 20
14. Percentage of public schools with a written plan for procedures to be performed in selected scenarios:
School year 201920 ...................................................................... 22
15. Percentage of public schools that took a serious disciplinary action in response to specic oenses,
bytype of oense: School years 200910 and 201920 ........................................... 23
16. Percentage of public schools providing diagnostic mental health assessments and treatment to students,
by selected school characteristics: 201920 .................................................... 25
17. Number of on-campus crimes reported and number per 10,000 full-time-equivalent (FTE) students in
degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by selected type of crime: 2010 through 2020 ............ 27
18. Number of on-campus hate crimes at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by category of bias
motivating the crime and type of crime: 2020 ................................................. 29
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | vi
It is important to establish reliable indicators of the
current state of school crime and safety across the nation—
and to regularly update and monitor these indicators as
new data become available. These indicators can help
inform policymakers and practitioners of the nature,
extent, and scope of the problem being addressed as they
develop programs aimed at violence and school crime
prevention. This is the purpose of Indicators of School
Crime and Safety, a joint eort by the National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS).
The 2022 edition of the Report on Indicators of School Crime
and Safety is the 25th in a series of annual publications.
Beginning with the 2020 edition, this report has been
redesigned with the intention of increasing its usability
for a wider audience. This report does so by highlighting
selected ndings from 23 indicators on various school
crime and safety topics. By synthesizing ndings in this
way, the report allows readers to gauge the breadth
of the content more eciently and make connections
across indicators. As in previous editions, the full set
of 23 indicators—with each indicator presented as an
independent, more detailed analysis of a crime and safety
topic—can be accessed in the online Indicator System.
Each indicator can be found on the website, and readers
can download PDFs of the individual indicators. Indicators
online are hyperlinked to tables in the Digest of Education
Statistics, where readers can obtain the underlying
data. The PDF version of the report, however, has been
transformed into the Report on Indicators of School Crime
and Safety, which highlights and synthesizes key ndings
from the full set of 23 indicators online.
This report covers a variety of topics on school crime
and safety. It rst examines dierent types of student
victimization, including violent deaths and school
shootings, nonfatal criminal victimization, and bullying
victimization. Then, the report presents data on teacher
victimization. This report concludes the section on crime
and safety issues at the elementary and secondary level by
examining data on school conditions—such as discipline
problems, gangs, hate-related speech, possession of
weapons, and use and availability of illegal drugs—as
well as data that reect student perceptions about their
personal safety at school.
To address these issues that students and teachers
could experience, schools across the United States have
implemented preventive and responsive measures.
This report covers topics such as security practices,
disciplinary actions, and whether schools have plans for
scenarios such as active shooters, natural disasters, or a
pandemic disease.
In addition to practices and measures addressing specic
crime and safety concerns, many schools provide mental
health services to promote student well-being and improve
school climate. This report examines the prevalence
of mental health services in public schools, as well as
the limitations to providing mental health services that
schools may encounter.
Finally, at the postsecondary level, this report discusses
the number of reported on-campus criminal incidents
against persons and property, as well as on-campus
hate crime incidents, such as those motivated by biases
associated with race, sexual orientation, and religion.
In this report, where available, data on victimization
that occurred away from school are oered as a point of
comparison for data on victimization that occurred at
school. Indicators of crime and safety are compared across
dierent population subgroups and over time. Across
indicators, the year of the most recent data collection
varied by survey, generally ranging from 2019 to 2021.
In 2020—and to a lesser extent in 2021
1
—schools across
the country suspended or modied in-person classes in
accordance with federal, state, and local guidance related
to the risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
Students might have spent less time at school than in
previous years due to these modied procedures. Thus,
readers are encouraged to interpret data since 2020 in the
context of these pandemic-related modications.
A variety of data sources are used to present information
on these topics, including national surveys of students,
teachers, principals, and postsecondary institutions.
Readers should be cautious when comparing data from
dierent sources. Dierences across these sources in
aspects such as data collection procedures and timing,
the phrasing of questions used to collect information
from respondents, and interviewer training can aect the
comparability of results across data sources.
Findings described with comparative language (e.g.,
higher, lower, increase, and decrease) are statistically
signicant at the .05 level. Additional information about
methodoloy and the datasets analyzed in this report
may be found online in the Reader’s Guide and Guide to
Sources.
1
For data on student enrollment by type of instruction (remote, hybrid,
and in-person) in spring 2021, see https://ies.ed.gov/schoolsurvey/mss-
dashboard/.
Introduction
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 1
In recent years, reported incidents related to several
crime and safety issues have become less prevalent at
elementary and secondary schools when compared with
a decade earlier. Specically, incidents of nonfatal student
and teacher victimization, certain discipline problems,
and reports of some unfavorable conditions at school have
decreased over time:
2
• For students ages 1218, the rate of nonfatal
criminal victimization (including theft and violent
victimization) at school in 2019 was not signicantly
dierent than the rate in 2010. From 2019 to 2021, the
rate at school decreased from 30 to 7 victimizations
per 1,000 students.
• Lower percentages of public school teachers in 202021
than in 201112 reported being threatened with injury
by a student from their school (6 vs. 10 percent) and
being physically attacked by a student from their
school (4 vs. 6 percent).
3
• Lower percentages of public schools in 201920
than in 200910 reported that each of the following
discipline problems occurred at least once a week:
student bullying (15 vs. 23 percent), student sexual
harassment of other students (2 vs. 3 percent), and
student harassment of other students based on sexual
orientation or gender identity (2 vs. 3 percent).
• Lower percentages of students ages 1218 in 2019 than
in 2009 reported the following unfavorable conditions
at their school: gang presence (9 vs. 20 percent), being
called hate-related words (7 vs. 9 percent), and seeing
hate-related grati (23 vs. 29 percent).
• Lower percentages of students in grades 912 in
2019 than in 2009 reported the following issues:
having been in a physical ght on school property
in the previous 12months (8 vs. 11 percent); carrying
a weapon on school property during the previous
30days (3 vs. 6 percent); and using alcohol on at least
1day during the previous 30 days (29 vs. 42 percent).
2
In 2020—and to a lesser extent in 2021—schools across the country
suspended or modied in-person classes in accordance with federal, state,
and local guidance related to the risks associated with the coronavirus
pandemic. Students may have spent less time at school and had less in-
person interaction with their teachers and other students than in previous
years due to these modied procedures. Thus, readers are encouraged
to interpret data since 2020 in the context of these pandemic-related
modications.
3
Teachers who taught only prekindergarten students are excluded.
Includes teachers in both traditional public schools and public charter
schools.
In contrast, cyberbullying and some student discipline
problems related to teachers and classrooms have become
more common over time. Specically, higher percentages
of public schools in 201920 than in 200910 reported the
following problems at least once a week:
• student cyberbullying (16 vs. 8 percent);
• student verbal abuse of teachers (10 vs. 5 percent);
• student acts of disrespect for teachers other than
verbal abuse (15 vs. 9 percent); and
• widespread disorder in the classroom (4 vs. 3 percent).
Active shooter incidents
4
represent a subset of the
possible violent incidents that occur at school. From 2000
to 2021, at elementary and secondary schools, there were
46 active shooter incidents, with the annual number
ranging from 0 to 6 incidents. These 46 incidents resulted
in 276 casualties (108 killed and 168 wounded).
5
In 2021,
there were 2 active shooter incidents documented at
elementary and secondary schools.
Increasing percentages of public schools have
implemented certain safety and security practices and
have oered mental health services to students:
• In 201920, about 52 percent of public schools reported
having a written plan for procedures to be performed
in the event of a pandemic disease. This percentage
was higher than the percentage reported in 201718
(46percent).
• Between 200910 and 201920, the percentage of
public schools reporting the following safety and
security measures increased: controlling access to
school buildings (from 92 to 97 percent), using security
cameras (from 61 to 91 percent), and requiring faculty
and sta to wear badges or picture IDs (from 63 to
77percent).
• Between 200910 and 201920, the percentage of
public schools that reported having one or more
security sta present at school at least once a week
increased (from 43 to 65 percent).
• Higher percentages of public schools in 201920 than
in 201718 reported providing diagnostic mental health
assessment services to evaluate students for mental
health disorders (55 vs. 51 percent) and oering mental
health treatment services to students for mental health
disorders (42 vs. 38 percent).
4
An active shooter incident is an incident in which “one or more
individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a
populated area.” Because the situation is active, law enforcement and
citizens involved in the incident have the potential to aect the outcome.
5
Number of casualties excludes the active shooters.
Highlights
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 2
Regarding safety issues on campuses of postsecondary
institutions, the rate of crime
• was 10 percent lower in 2019 than in 2010 (18.8vs.
20.9per 10,000 FTE students) but showed no
consistent trend during this period; and
• decreased by 20 percent between 2019 and 2020,
during the rst year of the pandemic (from 18.8 to
15.0per 10,000 FTE students).
Despite the overall rate of crime being lower in 2020
than in 2010, the rate of reported forcible sex oenses on
campus increased from 1.9 incidents per 10,000students
in 2010 to 6.6 incidents per 10,000 students in 2020.
6
Forcible sex oenses constituted 44 percent of all
criminal incidents reported on campus in 2020.
6
Reporting guidelines for forcible sex oenses changed in 2014. In years
prior to 2014, schools reported a total number of forcible sex oenses,
with no breakouts for specic types of oenses. Beginning in 2014, schools
were asked to report the numbers of two dierent types of forcible sex
oenses: rape and fondling. These two types were added together to
calculate the total number of reported forcible sex oenses. For instance,
5,200 rapes and 4,200 fondling incidents were reported in 2020, for a
total of 9,400 incidents of forcible sex oenses.
In 2020, a total of 571 hate crimes were reported on
the campuses of postsecondary institutions. This was
25percent lower than in 2019 (759 incidents) and
38percent lower than in 2010 (928 incidents). Race,
sexual orientation, and ethnicity were the three most
frequently reported categories of bias motivating on-
campus hate crimes at postsecondary institutions,
accounting for about 82 percent of reported hate crimes.
From 2000 to 2021, there were 18 active shooter incidents
documented at postsecondary institutions, with the
annual number ranging from 0 to 2. These incidents
resulted in 157 casualties (75 killed and 82 wounded).
7
There were 0 active shooter incidents documented at
postsecondary institutions in 2021.
7
Number of casualties excludes the active shooters.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 3
Highlights
The most recent data released by the School-Associated
Violent Death Surveillance System (SAVDSS) cover the
period from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020, which
includes the rst spring of the coronavirus pandemic,
when many students were learning remotely.
8
During
this period, a total of 25 school-associated violent deaths
9
were documented in the United States. This included
23homicides, 1 suicide, and 1legal intervention death.
10,11
Of these 25 school-associated violent deaths, 11homicides
and 1 suicide were of school-age youth (ages 518). (Violent
Deaths at School and Away From School, School Shootings,
and Active Shooter Incidents)
The School Shooting Safety Compendium (SSSC) aims to
compile information on elementary/secondary school
shootings from publicly available sources into a single
comprehensive database. The SSSC denes “school
shootings” as incidents in which “a gun is brandished,
is red, or a bullet hits school property for any reason,
regardless of the number of victims, time of day, or day of
week.” During the coronavirus pandemic, this denition
includes shootings that happen on school property during
remote instruction.
Between 200001 and 202021, the number of school
shootings with casualties ranged from 11 to 93 per year.
8
Education Week. (2020, March 6). Map: Coronavirus and School Closures
in 20192020. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.edweek.org/
leadership/map-coronavirus-and-school-closures-in-20192020/2020/03.
9
The SAVDSS denes a school-associated violent death as “a homicide,
suicide, or legal intervention death (involving a law enforcement ocer),
in which the fatal injury occurred on the campus of a functioning
elementary or secondary school in the United States.” School-associated
violent deaths also include those that were documented to have occurred
while the victim was on the way to or from regular sessions at school or
while the victim was attending or traveling to or from an ocial school-
sponsored event. School-associated violent deaths include not only
students and sta members but also others at school, such as students’
parents and community members.
10
Data are subject to change until law enforcement reports have been
obtained and interviews with school and law enforcement ocials
have been completed. The details learned during the interviews can
occasionally change the classication of a case.
11
A legal intervention death is dened as a death caused by a law
enforcement agent in the course of arresting or attempting to arrest a
lawbreaker, suppressing a disturbance, maintaining order, or engaging in
another legal action.
On average, the number of shootings with casualties
in a given year diered from the prior year by about
47percent in either direction, with no consistent trend
throughout the period. In 202122, the number of school
shootings with casualties (188) was more than twice as
high as the next highest number of documented shootings
(93), which was documented the year before.
12
Because
the number of school shootings in 202122 is an outlier
compared to prior years, readers should interpret data
with caution. (Violent Deaths at School and Away From
School, School Shootings, and Active Shooter Incidents)
Active shooter incidents represent a subset of the possible
gun violence or serious violent incidents that occur at
schools. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) denes
an active shooter incident as an incident in which “one or
more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting
to kill people in a populated area.” Because the situation
is active, law enforcement and citizens involved in the
incident have the potential to aect the outcome. From
2000 to 2021, at elementary and secondary schools, there
were
• 46 active shooter incidents (gure 1);
• 0 to 6 active shooter incidents per year;
• 276 casualties (108 killed and 168 wounded) as a result
of active shooter incidents;
13
and
• 0 to 81 casualties per year from active shooter
incidents.
From 2000 to 2021, there were 47 active shooters
responsible for the 46 incidents at elementary and
secondary schools. Of the 47 active shooters,
• 46 were male and 1 was female;
• 34 were 12 to 18 years old;
• 5 were 19 to 24 years old; and
• 8 were 25 years old and above. (Violent Deaths at School
and Away From School, School Shootings, and Active
Shooter Incidents)
12
Due to school closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, caution
should be used when comparing 201920 and 202021 data with data from
other years.
13
Number of casualties excludes the active shooters.
Violent Deaths, School Shootings, and Active Shooter
Incidents
From 2000 to 2021, there were 46 active shooter incidents at elementary and secondary schools, with the
number ranging from 0 to 6 per year during this period. There were 47 active shooters responsible for
these 46 incidents, more than two-thirds of whom were 12 to 18 years old.
In 2021–22, the number of school shootings with casualties (188) was more than twice as high as the next
highest number of documented shootings (93), which was documented the year before.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 4
1
Includes one active shooter incident at a county board of education meeting.
2
Includes one active shooter incident at a city school board meeting.
NOTE: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) denes an active shooter incident as an incident in which “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or
attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Some data have been revised from previously published gures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013, Active Shooter
Incidents in the United States in 2014 and 2015, Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2016 and 2017, Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2018,
Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2019, Active Shooter Incidents: 20-Year Review 2000–2019, Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2020, and
Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2021, retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.fbi.gov/about/partnerships/ofce-of-partner-engagement/active-
shooter-resources. See Digest of Education Statistics 2022, table 228.15
Figure 1. Number of active shooter incidents at elementary and secondary schools: 2000 through 2021
2000 2001 2002 2003
1
2004 2005 2006
Year
2007 2008 2009 2010
2
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
0
2
4
6
8
10
Number of incidents
2
3
00 0
11
2
6
1
0
4
1
333
0
3
4
5
22
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 5
Violent Deaths, School Shootings, and Active Shooter Incidents
Criminal Victimization Experienced by
Students
Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey
(NCVS) provide insights on nonfatal criminal victimization
experienced by students ages 1218, according to students’
own reports.
14
Nonfatal criminal victimization includes
theft
15
and violent victimization, the latter of which
includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated
assault, and simple assault. In 2021, students ages 1218
experienced 170,600 victimizations at school
16
and
384,300victimizations away from school. This translates
to a rate of 7 victimizations per 1,000 students at school
17
and a rate of 15 victimizations per 1,000 students away
from school (gure 2). (Incidence of Nonfatal Victimization
at School and Away From School)
14
“Students” refers to those ages 1218 whose educational attainment did
not exceed grade 12 at the time of the survey. An uncertain percentage of
these persons may not have attended school during the survey reference
period. These data do not take into account the number of hours that
students spend at school or away from school.
15
“Theft” includes attempted and completed purse-snatching, completed
pickpocketing, and all attempted and completed thefts, with the exception
of motor vehicle thefts. Theft does not include robbery, which involves the
threat or use of force and is classied as a violent crime.
16
“At school” is dened to include in the school building, on school
property, on a school bus, and going to and from school.
17
Data on the percentage of students ages 1218 who reported being
victimized at school during the previous 6 months are available from
the School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the NCVS. At the time of the
development of this report, the latest year for which SCS data are available
is 2019. See Prevalence of Criminal Victimization at School for changes
over time in the percentage of students reporting victimization at school,
as well as how the percentage varied by selected student and school
characteristics.
For students ages 1218, the total victimization rate in
2019 was not signicantly dierent than the rate in 2010,
both at school and away from school (gure 2). From 2019
to 2021, the total victimization rate at school decreased
from 30 to 7 victimizations per 1,000 students. During the
same period, from 2019 to 2021, the total victimization
rate away from school did not change signicantly
(15victimizations per 1,000students in 2021).
18
(Incidence
of Nonfatal Victimization at School and Away From School)
18
In 2020 and 2021, schools across the country suspended or modied in-
person classes in accordance with federal, state, and local guidance related
to the risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic. Students may have
spent less time at school than in previous years due to these modied
procedures.
Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization
In recent years, nonfatal student and teacher victimization was generally less prevalent than about a
decade ago:
• The nonfatal criminal victimization rate for students ages 1218 at school in 2019 was not signicantly
dierent than the rate in 2010. From 2019 to 2021, the rate at school decreased from 30 to 7victimizations
per 1,000 students.
• A lower percentage of students ages 1218 in 2019 than in 2009 reported being bullied at school (22 vs.
28percent).
• Lower percentages of public school teachers in 202021 than in 201112 reported being threatened with injury
by a student from their school (6 vs. 10 percent) and being physically attacked by a student from their school
(4 vs. 6 percent).
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 6
Student Reports of Bullying Victimization
Another type of student victimization that is important to
understand is bullying. Previous research has found that
students who are bullied are more likely to experience
depression and anxiety, have more health complaints,
and skip or drop out of school (Swearer and Hymel
2015; Hornor 2018). The involvement of young bullying
victims in recent suicides and school shootings has
also heightened concerns regarding the public health
implications of bullying (Hornor 2018).
According to data from the School Crime Supplement
(SCS), during the school year in 2019, about 22 percent
of students ages 1218 reported being bullied
19
at school.
This was lower than the percentage who reported being
bullied in 2009 (28 percent). Students’ reports of being
bullied varied based on student and school characteristics
19
“Bullying” includes students who reported that another student had
made fun of them, called them names, or insulted them; spread rumors
about them; threatened them with harm; tried to make them do something
they did not want to do; excluded them from activities on purpose;
destroyed their property on purpose; or pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit
on them. In the total for students bullied at school, students who reported
more than one type of bullying were counted only once.
NOTE: Every 10 years, the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) sample is redesigned to reect changes in the population. Due to a sample increase and redesign
in 2016, victimization estimates among students ages 12–18 in 2016 were not comparable to estimates for other years. Nonfatal victimization includes theft, rape, sexual
assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. “At school” includes in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, and going to or from school. The
NCVS data in this report are reported in accordance with Bureau of Justice Statistics standards. The population size for students ages 12–18 was 25,132,500 in 2021. In
2020 and 2021, schools across the country suspended or modied in-person classes to mitigate the risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic. Students may have
spent less time at school than in previous years due to these modied procedures. Estimates may vary from previously published reports.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), 2010 through 2021. See Digest of Education Statistics
2022, table 228.20.
Figure 2. Rate of nonfatal victimization against students ages 12–18 per 1,000 students, by location: 2010 through 2021
2010 2015 20212020
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Rate per 1,000 students
Away from school
At school
Year
in 2019 (gure 3). For instance, the percentage of students
who reported being bullied at school during the school
year was
• higher for female students than for male students
(25vs. 19 percent);
• higher for students of Two or more races (37 percent)
than for White students (25 percent) and Black
students (22 percent), all of which were higher than for
Asian students (13 percent);
• higher for 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders (ranging from
27to 28 percent) than for 9th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders
(ranging from 16 to 19 percent); and
• higher for students enrolled in schools in rural areas
(28 percent) than for those enrolled in schools in other
locales (ranging from 21 to 22 percent). (Bullying at
School and Electronic Bullying)
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 7
Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization
Figure 3. Percentage of students ages 12–18 who reported being bullied at school during the school year, by selected student
and school characteristics: 2019
Rural
Town
Suburban
City
12th
11th
10th
9th
8th
7th
6th
Two or more races
Asian
Hispanic
Black
White
Female
Male
Sex
Race/ethnicity
2
Grade
School locale
3
Total
1
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
19.1
22.2
25.5
24.6
22.2
18.0
13.5
37.1
28.1
28.0
26.7
18.9
18.7
21.7
15.8
22.4
20.5
21.7
27.7
Percent
Student or school characteristics
1
Total includes race categories not separately shown.
2
Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Data for Pacic Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native students did not meet reporting standards in 2019;
therefore, data for these two groups are not shown.
3
Excludes students with missing information about the school characteristic.
NOTE: “At school” includes in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, and going to and from school. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the gures
are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 2019. See Digest of
Education Statistics 2020, table 230.40.
According to data from the Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance System (YRBSS), about 16 percent of students
in grades 912 reported being electronically
20
bullied
during the previous 12 months in 2019. The percentage of
students who reported being electronically bullied was
20
Being electronically bullied includes “being bullied through e-mail, chat
rooms, instant messaging, websites, or texting” for 2011 through 2015
and “being bullied through texting, Instagram, Facebook, or other social
media” for 2017 and 2019.
higher for gay, lesbian, or bisexual students (27 percent)
than for students who were not sure about their sexual
identity (19 percent), and both percentages were
higher than the percentage for heterosexual students
(14percent).
21
(Bullying at School and Electronic Bullying)
21
Since 2015, the YRBSS has included a question on students’ sexual
identity by asking students in grades 912 which of the following best
described them—“heterosexual (straight),” “gay or lesbian,” “bisexual,” or
“not sure.” In this report, students who identied as “gay or lesbian” or
“bisexual” are discussed together as the “gay, lesbian, or bisexual” group.
Students were not asked their gender identity on the YRBSS, for example,
whether they identied as transgender.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 8
Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization
Teacher Victimization
In addition to students, teachers are also subject to
intimidation and violence, and students from their
schools sometimes commit these oenses. According to
data on public school teachers
22
from the 202021 National
Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), threats of injury
were more commonly reported than actual physical
attacks. Additionally, both types of teacher victimization
were less prevalent in 202021
23
than in 201112:
• The percentage of public school teachers who reported
being threatened with injury by a student from their
school was 6 percent in 202021, compared with
10percent in 201112.
• The percentage who reported being physically
attacked by a student from their school was 4 percent
in 202021, compared with 6 percent in 201112.
24
22
Includes teachers in both traditional public schools and public charter
schools. Excludes teachers who taught only prekindergarten students.
23
The 2020 calendar year was the rst year of the coronavirus pandemic,
so many schools shifted instruction from in-person classes to online-only
or hybrid education. Thus, in-person interactions between students and
teachers may have been limited.
24
The 201112 data were collected in the Schools and Stang Survey
(SASS). The NTPS was designed to allow comparisons with SASS data.
During the 202021 school year, higher percentages of
elementary public school teachers than of secondary
public school teachers reported being threatened with
injury (8 vs. 4 percent) and being physically attacked
(7vs. 1 percent) by a student from their school (gure 4).
25
(Teachers Threatened With Injury or Physically Attacked
byStudents)
25
Teachers were classied as elementary or secondary on the basis of
the grades they taught, rather than on the level of the school in which
they taught. In general, elementary teachers include those teaching any
of grades prekindergarten through grade 6 and those teaching multiple
grades, with a preponderance of grades taught being kindergarten
through grade 6. In general, secondary teachers include those teaching
any of grades 7 through 12 and those teaching multiple grades, with a
preponderance of grades taught being grades 7 through 12 and usually with
no grade taught being lower than grade 5.
NOTE: Includes teachers in both traditional public schools and public charter schools. Excludes teachers who taught only prekindergarten students. Teachers were
classied as elementary or secondary on the basis of the grades they taught, rather than on the level of the school in which they taught. In general, elementary teachers
include those teaching prekindergarten through grade 6 and those teaching multiple grades, with a preponderance of grades taught being kindergarten through grade 6. In
general, secondary teachers include those teaching any of grades 7 through 12 and those teaching multiple grades, with a preponderance of grades taught being grades 7
through 12 and usually with no grade taught being lower than grade 5.
SOURCE: National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Teacher Data File,” 2020–21. See Digest of Education Statistics 2022, table 228.70.
Figure 4. Percentage of public school teachers who reported that they were threatened with injury or physically attacked by a
student from their school during the previous 12 months, by instructional level: School year 2020–21
TotalElementarySecondary
Threatened with injury Physically attacked
5.7
7.6
6.9
Percent
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
100.0
Type of reported incident
4.1
1.4
3.9
0.0
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 9
Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization
Criminal Incidents and Discipline Problems
Reported by Public Schools
Criminal incidents and discipline problems at school
are aspects of the school safety environment for which
national data are available. The School Survey on Crime
and Safety (SSOCS) asked public school principals to
report the numbers of various types of criminal incidents
that occurred at their school
26
and to indicate how often
certain disciplinary problems happened in their school.
27
Such school-reported data can complement those data
covering similar issues based on students’ experience and
observation, such as those collected through the School
Crime Supplement (SCS) and the Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance System (YRBSS).
26
In SSOCS, “at school” was dened for respondents as including activities
that happen in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and
at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. In the survey
questions about criminal incidents, respondents were instructed to include
incidents that occurred before, during, or after normal school hours or
when school activities or events were in session.
27
Respondents were instructed to include discipline problems only
for those times that were during normal school hours or when school
activities or events were in session.
School Environment
During the 201920 school year,
28
77 percent of public
schools recorded that one or more incidents of crime
29
had
taken place, amounting to 1.4 million incidents, or a rate of
29 incidents per 1,000 students enrolled (gure 5). During
the same school year, 47 percent of schools reported one
or more incidents of crime to sworn law enforcement,
amounting to 482,400 incidents, or a rate of 10 incidents
per 1,000 students enrolled. The percentage of public
schools that recorded one or more incidents of crime was
lower in 201920 than in 200910 (77 vs. 85 percent); the
same pattern can be observed for the percentage of public
schools that reported one or more criminal incidents
to sworn law enforcement (47 vs. 60 percent). (Criminal
Incidents Recorded by Public Schools and Those Reported to
Sworn Law Enforcement)
28
The coronavirus pandemic aected the 201920 data collection activities.
The change to virtual schooling and the adjusted school year may have
impacted the data collected by SSOCS. Readers should use caution when
comparing 201920 estimates with those from earlier years. For more
information, see Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public
Schools in 201920: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety
(NCES 2022029).
29
In SSOCS, incidents of crime include violent incidents, thefts of items
valued at $10 or greater without personal confrontation, and other
criminal incidents. “Violent incidents” include rape or attempted rape;
sexual assault other than rape; physical attacks or ghts with or without
a weapon; threat of physical attacks with or without a weapon; and
robbery with or without a weapon. “Other incidents” include possession
of a rearm or explosive device; possession of a knife or sharp object;
distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol; inappropriate
distribution, possession, or use of prescription drugs; and vandalism. Note
that when referring to criminal incidents, the word “recorded” refers to all
incidents that were documented by the school, while “reported” is used to
identify incidents that were reported to sworn law enforcement.
Some aspects of the school environment showed improvements over time. For instance:
• A lower percentage of public schools in 201920 than in 200910 recorded one or more incidents of crime
(77vs. 85 percent).
• Lower percentages of public schools in 201920 than in 200910 reported student behaviors at school that
targeted fellow students, including student bullying at least once a week (15 vs. 23 percent) and sexual
harassment of other students at least once a week (2 vs. 3 percent).
• Lower percentages of students ages 1218 in 2019 than in 2009 reported the following unfavorable conditions
at their school: gang presence (9 vs. 20 percent), being called hate-related words (7 vs. 9 percent), and seeing
hate-related grati (23 vs. 29 percent).
• A lower percentage of public school teachers in 202021 than in 201112 agreed that student misbehavior
interfered with their teaching (32 vs. 41 percent).
However, other aspects did not improve:
• A higher percentage of public schools in 201920 than in 200910 reported cyberbullying among students at
least once a week (16 vs. 8 percent).
• A higher percentage of students in 2019 than in 2009 reported avoiding one or more places in school during
the school year because they thought someone might attack or harm them (5 vs. 4 percent).
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 10
In 201920, lower percentages of elementary schools and
combined/other schools recorded incidents of violent
crime
30
(58 and 60 percent, respectively) compared with
middle schools (91 percent) and secondary/high schools
(90 percent).
31
Similarly, lower percentages of elementary
schools and combined/other schools than of middle
schools and secondary/high schools reported incidents
of violent crime to sworn law enforcement. (Criminal
Incidents Recorded by Public Schools and Those Reported to
Sworn Law Enforcement)
Within the category of noncriminal incidents, student
bullying
32
and cyberbullying
33, 34
were among the most
prevalent discipline problems reported by public schools
to have occurred at least once a week in 201920 (reported
by 15 and 16 percent of public schools, respectively;
gure6). Student verbal abuse of teachers and acts
30
See previous footnote for the denition of “violent incidents.”
31
Elementary schools are dened as schools that enroll students in more
of grades K through 4 than in higher grades. Middle schools are dened as
schools that enroll students in more of grades 5 through 8 than in higher
or lower grades. Secondary/high schools are dened as schools that enroll
students in more of grades 9 through 12 than in lower grades. Combined/other
schools include all other combinations of grades, including K12 schools.
32
The SSOCS questionnaire denes bullying as “any unwanted aggressive
behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths that involves an observed
or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly
likely to be repeated. Bullying occurs among youth who are not siblings or
current dating partners.”
33
“Cyberbullying” was dened for respondents as “occurring when willful
and repeated harm is inicted through the use of computers, cell phones,
or other electronic devices.”
34
For all discipline problems except “student cyberbullying,” respondents
were instructed to include problems that occur at school.
of disrespect for teachers other than verbal abuse
were reported by 10and 15 percent of public schools,
respectively. (Discipline Problems Reported by Public
Schools)
Higher percentages of public schools in 201920 than in
200910 reported
• cyberbullying (16 vs. 8 percent; gure 6);
• student acts of disrespect for teachers other than
verbal abuse (15 vs. 9 percent);
• student verbal abuse of teachers (10 vs. 5 percent); and
• widespread disorder in the classroom (4 vs. 3 percent).
In contrast, behaviors at school that targeted fellow
students were generally less prevalent. Lower percentages
of public schools in 201920 than in 200910 reported
• student bullying (15 vs. 23 percent);
• student sexual harassment of other students (2 vs.
3percent); and
• student harassment of other students based on sexual
orientation or gender identity
35, 36
(2 vs. 3 percent).
(Discipline Problems Reported by Public Schools)
35
Sexual orientation means one’s “emotional or physical attraction to the
same and/or opposite sex.” Gender identity means one’s “inner sense of
one’s own gender, which may or may not match the sex assigned at birth.”
36
Prior to 201516, the questionnaire asked about “student harassment of
other students based on sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e., lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning)” in one single item. The 201516,
201718, and 201920 questionnaires had one item asking about “student
harassment of other students based on sexual orientation,” followed by a
separate item asking about “student harassment of other students based
on gender identity.”
Figure 5. Percentage of public schools recording one or more incidents of crime at school and percentage reporting incidents to
sworn law enforcement: Selected years, 2009–10 through 2019–20
2009–10
2015–16
2017–18
2019–20
1
46.6
46.9
47.4
77.2
85.0
79.8
78.9
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Percent
Recorded
Reported to sworn
law enforcement
60.0
1
The coronavirus pandemic affected the 2019–20 data collection activities. The change to virtual schooling and the adjusted school year may have impacted the data
collected by the School Survey on Crime and Safety. Readers should use caution when comparing 2019–20 estimates with those from earlier years. For more information,
see Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools in 2019–20: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety (NCES 2022-029).
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. “At school” was dened as including
activities that happen in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Respondents were instructed
to include incidents that occurred before, during, and after normal school hours or when school activities or events were in session.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019–20 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2020. See Digest of Education
Statistics 2021, table 229.10.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 11
School Environment
Gangs and Hate-Related Speech
Another aspect of the school environment for which
national data are available is unfavorable conditions
related to crime and safety, such as the presence of
gangs and hate-related
37
words and grati. These data
are captured in the SCS based on student reports of
conditions at school during the school year. Lower
37
“Hate-related” refers to derogatory terms used by others in reference to
students’ personal characteristics.
percentages of students ages 1218 in 2019 than in 2009
reported these unfavorable conditions:
• gang presence (9 vs. 20 percent; gure 7);
• being called hate-related words (7 vs. 9 percent); and
• seeing hate-related grati (23 vs. 29 percent).
(Students’ Reports of Gangs at School; Students’ Reports
of Hate-Related Words and Hate-Related Grati)
Figure 6. Percentage of public schools reporting selected discipline problems that occurred at least once a week: School years
2009–10 and 2019–20
1
The coronavirus pandemic affected the 2019–20 data collection activities. The change to virtual schooling and the adjusted school year may have impacted the data
collected by the School Survey on Crime and Safety. Readers should use caution when comparing 2019–20 estimates with those from earlier years. For more information,
see Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools in 2019–20: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety (NCES 2022-029).
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. Respondents were instructed to include
discipline problems only for those times that were during normal school hours or when school activities or events were in session, unless the survey specied otherwise.
For all items except “student cyberbullying,” respondents were instructed to include problems that occur at school. “At school” was dened to include activities that happen
in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. For the “student cyberbullying” item, respondents
were instructed to include cyberbullying “problems that can occur anywhere (both at your school and away from school).” Although rounded numbers are displayed, the
gures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 and 2019–20 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010 and 2020.
See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 230.10.
15.3
8.6
4.1
2.5
9.8
4.8
1.5
2.5
1.6
3.2
7.9
14.6
23.1
3.8
2.8
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
2009–10
2019–20
1
Percent
Discipline problem
Student racial/
ethnic tensions
Student bullying
Student sexual
harrassment of
other students
Student harrassment of
other students based
on sexual orientation
or gender identity
Student verbal
abuse of teachers
Widespread disorder
in classrooms
Student acts of
disrespect for
teachers other
than verbal abuse
Student cyberbullying
15.9
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 12
School Environment
In 2019, there were dierences in the reports of
these unfavorable conditions by student and school
characteristics. For instance, higher percentages of
9th-through 12th-graders (ranging from 10 to 12 percent)
than of 6th- through 8th-graders (ranging from 5 to
6percent) reported observing a gang presence at their
school. In contrast, the percentages of students who
reported being called a hate-related word at school
were lower for 10th- and 12th-graders (5 and 4 percent,
respectively) than for 7th- and 8th-graders (8 and
9percent, respectively), and there were no measurable
dierences by students’ grade level in the percentage
of students who reported seeing hate-related grati at
school. (Students’ Reports of Gangs at School; Students’
Reports of Hate-Related Words and Hate-Related Grati)
Students who reported being called hate-related words
at school during the school year were asked to indicate
whether the derogatory word they were called referred
to their race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, or
sexual orientation. In 2019, race was the most frequently
reported characteristic referred to by hate-related words.
The percentage of students who reported being called
a hate-related word referring to their race was lower for
White students (2 percent) than for students of any other
race/ethnicity for which data were available (ranging from
4 percent of Hispanic students to 9 percent of students
of Two or more races). (Students’ Reports of Hate-Related
Words and Hate-Related Grati)
NOTE: “At school” includes in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, and going to and from school. “Hate-related” refers to derogatory terms used by
others in reference to students’ personal characteristics.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 2009 through 2019. See
Digest of Education Statistics 2020, tables 230.20 and 230.30.
2009 2011 2013 2015
Year
Percent
2017 2019
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
100.0
Seeing hate-related graffiti
Gang presence
Being called hate-related words
Figure 7. Percentage of students ages 12–18 who reported a gang presence, being called hate-related words, and seeing hate-
related grafti at school during the school year: Selected years, 2009 through 2019
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 13
School Environment
Student Fear and Avoidance
Another aspect of the school environment to consider is
students’ perceptions of personal safety at school. The
SCS collected such data by asking students ages 1218
about their fear of attack or harm at and away from
school. In 2019, about 5 percent of students ages 1218
reported that they had been afraid of attack or harm
38
at
school during the school year, which was higher than the
percentage of students who reported that they had been
afraid of attack or harm away from school (3 percent;
gure 8). The percentages of students who reported being
afraid of attack or harm at school and away from school
38
Students were asked if they were “never,” “almost never,” “sometimes,”
or “most of the time” afraid that someone would attack or harm them at
school or away from school. Students responding “sometimes” or “most of
the time” were considered afraid.
in 2019 were not measurably dierent from those in
2009. The SCS also asked students whether they avoided
one or more places in school
39
because they were fearful
that someone might attack or harm them. In 2019, the
percentage of students who reported avoiding one or
more places in school during the school year because
they thought someone might attack or harm them was
5percent, which was higher than the percentage who did
so in 2009 (4percent). (Students’ Perceptions of Personal
Safety at School and Away From School; Students’ Reports
of Avoiding School Activities or Classes or Specic Places in
School)
39
“Avoided one or more places in school” includes avoiding entrance to
the school, hallways or stairs in school, parts of the school cafeteria, any
school restrooms, and other places inside the school building. Students
who reported avoiding multiple places in school were counted only once
in the total for students avoiding one or more places.
1
“At school” includes in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, and going to and from school.
2
Students were asked if they were “never,” “almost never,” “sometimes,” or “most of the time” afraid that someone would attack or harm them at school or away from
school. Students responding “sometimes” or “most of the time” were considered afraid.
3
Students who reported avoiding multiple places in school were counted only once in the total for students avoiding one or more places.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 2019. See Digest of
Education Statistics 2020, tables 230.70 and 230.80.
Figure 8. Percentage of students ages 12–18 who reported being afraid of attack or harm during the school year and percentage
who reported avoiding one or more places in school because of fear of attack or harm during the school year: 2019
Other places inside
the school building
Any school restrooms
Parts of the school cafeteria
Hallways or stairs in school
Entrance to the school
Avoided one or more
places in school
3
Were afraid of attack or
harm away from school
2
Were afraid of attack or
harm at school
1, 2
0.0 5.0 10.0
Percent
15.0 20.0 100.0
4.8
2.7
5.0
0.9
2.1
2.2
2.4
1.0
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 14
School Environment
In 2019, there were some measurable dierences by
student and school characteristics in the percentages
of students ages 1218 who reported fear and avoidance.
For example, the percentage of students who reported
avoiding one or more places in school because of fear of
attack or harm was
• higher for students of Two or more races (11 percent)
than for Hispanic (5 percent), Asian (4 percent), and
White (4 percent) students;
• higher for Black students (7 percent) than for White
students (4 percent);
• higher for 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-graders (5, 6, and
7percent, respectively) than for 12th-graders
(3percent);
• higher for those enrolled in schools in cities than
for those enrolled in schools in rural areas (6 vs.
4percent); and
• higher for public school students than for private
school students (5 vs. 2 percent). (Students’ Reports of
Avoiding School Activities or Classes or Specic Places in
School)
Teachers’ Reports of Student Behavior and
Rule Enforcement
Finally, teachers also reported on school order and
conditions in the 202021 National Teacher and Principal
Survey (NTPS). In 202021,
40
of all public school
teachers,
41
• 32 percent agreed that student misbehavior interfered
with their teaching;
• 37 percent agreed that student tardiness and class
cutting interfered with their teaching;
• 67 percent agreed that other teachers at their school
enforced the school rules for student behavior; and
• 83 percent agreed that the principal enforced the
school rules for student behavior (gure 9).
A lower percentage of public school teachers in 202021
than in 201112 reported that student misbehavior
interfered with their teaching (32 vs. 41 percent), while
the other percentages were not measurably dierent
between the 2 years. (Teachers’ Reports of Disruptive
Student Behaviors and Sta Rule Enforcement)
40
The 2020 calendar year was the rst year of the coronavirus pandemic,
and many schools shifted instruction from in-person classes to online-only
or hybrid education. Thus, in-person interactions between students and
teachers may have been limited.
41
Percentages represent both teachers who “strongly” agreed and those
who “somewhat” agreed with the statement.
Figure 9. Percentage of public school teachers who agreed that student misbehavior and student tardiness and class cutting
interfered with their teaching and percentage who agreed that other teachers and the principal enforced school rules:
School years 2011–12 and 2020–21
1
The questionnaire provided the following examples of student misbehavior: noise, horseplay, or ghting in the halls, cafeteria, or student lounge.
2
Respondents were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statement “rules for student behavior are consistently enforced by teachers in this school,
even for students who are not in their classes.”
3
Respondents were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statement “my principal enforces school rules for student conduct and backs me up when I
need it.”
NOTE: Teachers who taught only prekindergarten students are excluded. Includes teachers in both traditional public schools and public charter schools. Percentages
represent both teachers who “strongly” agreed and those who “somewhat” agreed that student misbehavior and student tardiness and class cutting interfered with their
teaching, as well as teachers who “strongly” agreed and those who “somewhat” agreed that school rules were enforced by other teachers and the principal.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Stafng Survey (SASS), “Public School Teacher Data File,” 2011–12; and
National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Teacher Data File,” 2020–21. See Digest of Education Statistics 2022, tables 230.90 and 230.92.
2020–212011–12
Student misbehavior
interfered with teaching
1
Student tardiness and class
cutting interfered with teaching
Other teachers
enforced school rules
2
Principal enforced
school rules
3
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Percent
40.7
32.0
37.6
37.4
67.6
67.0
83.7
83.2
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 15
School Environment
Student Involvement in Physical Fights
Guns, ghts, alcohol, and drugs are indicators of
disorder and incivility at school. The Youth Risk
Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) asked students in
grades 912 about their involvement in physical ghts,
anywhere
42
or on school property, during the previous
12months. Involvement in physical ghts includes both
as an aggressor and as an unwilling participant or victim.
The percentage of students in grades 912 who reported
having been in a physical ght anywhere during the
previous 12 months was lower in 2019 than in 2009 (22vs.
31 percent), and the percentage who reported having
been in a physical ght on school property in the previous
12 months was also lower in 2019 than in 2009 (8vs.
11percent). The percentage of students who reported
42
“Anywhere” includes occurrences on school property. The term
“anywhere” is not used in the YRBSS, and the survey did not dene “on
school property” for respondents.
having been in a physical ght on school property during
the previous 12 months in 2019 was
• higher for male students than for female students
(11vs. 4 percent);
• higher for students who were American Indian/Alaska
Native (19 percent), Black (15 percent), and of Two or
more races (11 percent) than for students who were
White (6 percent) and Asian (5 percent; gure 10);
• higher for Black students (15 percent) than for students
of Two or more races (11 percent) and Hispanic
students (8 percent); and
• higher for 9th-graders (11 percent) and 10th-graders
(8 percent) than for 11th-graders and 12th-graders
(6percent each).
There were no measurable dierences by sexual identity
in the percentages of students who reported having been
involved in a physical ght on school property in 2019.
(Physical Fights on School Property and Anywhere)
Fights, Weapons, and Illegal Substances
Lower percentages of students in grades 9–12 in 2019 than in 2009 reported the following issues:
• having been in a physical ght on school property in the previous 12 months (8 vs. 11 percent);
• carrying a weapon on school property during the previous 30 days (3 vs. 6 percent); and
• using alcohol on at least 1 day during the previous 30 days (29 vs. 42 percent).
However, the percentages of students in grades 9–12 who reported the following issues in 2019 were not
measurably dierent from 2009:
• being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property during the previous 12 months (7 percent in 2019);
• being oered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in the previous 12 months (22 percent in 2019); and
• using marijuana at least 1 time during the previous 30 days (22 percent in 2019).
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 16
Anywhere (including on school property) On school property
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Percent
White Black Hispanic Asian Pacific
Islander
American Indian/
Alaska Native
Two or
more races
Race/ethnicity
Total
21.9
8.0
19.8
6.4
30.2
15.5
22.6
7.8
12.0
4.9
18.2
9.1!
40.2
18.9!
28.7
11.0
Figure 10. Percentage of students in grades 9–12 who reported having been in a physical ght at least one time during the
previous 12 months, by race/ethnicity and location: 2019
! Interpret data with caution. The coefcient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
NOTE: The term “anywhere” is not used in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) questionnaire; students were simply asked how many times in the past
12 months they had been in a physical ght. In the question asking students about physical ghts at school, “on school property” was not dened for respondents. Race
categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 2019. See Digest of
Education Statistics 2020, table 231.10.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 17
Fights, Weapons, and Illegal Substances
Students Carrying Weapons and Threats
and Injuries With Weapons
On the topic of weapons, data are available for the
percentages of students in grades 912 who reported
carrying a weapon
43
anywhere or on school property
during the previous 30 days and for the percentage
of students who reported having been threatened or
injured with a weapon on school property during the
previous 12 months. An examination of these data over
the past decade shows that, between 2009 and 2019,
the percentage of students in grades 912 who reported
carrying weapons during the previous 30 days decreased,
including
• carrying a weapon anywhere (from 17 to 13 percent);
and
• carrying a weapon on school property (from 6 to
3percent; gure 11).
43
Examples of weapons provided for respondents include guns, knives, or
clubs.
However, for threats and injuries with weapons on
school property, there was not a consistent trend from
2009 to 2019. The percentage of students who reported
being threatened or injured with a weapon on school
property during the previous 12 months decreased from
8 percent in 2009 to 6 percent in 2017; the percentage
in 2019 (7percent) was higher than that in 2017 but
not measurably dierent from the percentage in 2009.
(Students Carrying Weapons and Students’ Access to
Firearms; Threats and Injuries With Weapons on School
Property)
2009 2017 2019
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Carrying a weapon anywhere
during the previous 30 days
Carrying a weapon on school
property during the previous 30 days
Being threatened or injured
with a weapon on school property
during the previous 12 months
17.5
15.7
13.2
5.6
3.8
2.8
7.7
6.0
7.4
Percent
Figure 11. Percentage of students in grades 9–12 who reported carrying a weapon at least 1 day anywhere or on school property
during the previous 30 days and percentage who reported being threatened or injured with a weapon on school
property at least one time during the previous 12 months: 2009, 2017, and 2019
NOTE: Examples of weapons provided for respondents include guns, knives, or clubs. The term “anywhere” is not used in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
(YRBSS) questionnaire; students were simply asked how many days they carried a weapon during the past 30 days. “On school property” was not dened for respondents.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 2009, 2017, and
2019. See Digest of Education Statistics 2020, tables 228.40 and 231.40.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 18
Fights, Weapons, and Illegal Substances
0.0 20.0
Not sure
Gay, lesbian, or bisexual
Heterosexual
Sexual identity
1
Two or more races
American Indian/Alaska Native
Pacific Islander
Asian
Hispanic
Black
White
Race/ethnicity
12th
11th
10th
9th
Female
Male
Sex
Grade
Total
40.060.080.0 100.0
Student characteristic
Percent
29.2
26.4
31.9
19.0
26.7
32.3
39.9
34.2
16.8
28.4
13.9
42.1
32.6
26.0
28.8
33.9
25.3
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Illegal Drugs
In the United States, the purchase or public possession
of alcohol anywhere is illegal until age 21, except in
the company of a parent or legal-age spouse in certain
states. Adolescent alcohol use is associated with various
negative educational and health outcomes (French and
Maclean 2006; Mason et al. 2010; Schilling et al. 2009).
The percentage of students in grades 912 who reported
using alcohol on at least 1 day during the previous 30days
decreased from 42 to 29 percent between 2009 and
2019. In 2019, the percentage of students in grades 912
who reported using alcohol on at least 1 day during the
previous 30 days
• was lower for male students than for female students
(26 vs. 32 percent; gure 12);
• was lower for Asian students (14 percent) and Black
students (17 percent) than for students of all other
racial/ethnic groups;
• was lower for heterosexual students (29 percent) and
students who were not sure about their sexual identity
(25 percent) than for gay, lesbian, or bisexual students
(34 percent); and
• increased with grade level. (Students’ Use of Alcohol)
Figure 12. Percentage of students in grades 9–12 who reported using alcohol at least 1 day during the previous 30 days, by
selected student characteristics: 2019
1
Students were asked which of the following—“heterosexual (straight),” “gay or lesbian,” “bisexual,” or “not sure”—best described them.
.
NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 2019. See Digest of
Education Statistics 2020, table 232.10.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 19
Fights, Weapons, and Illegal Substances
The YRBSS asked students in grades 912 about their
current use of marijuana anywhere as well as the
availability of illegal drugs on school property. In 2019,
about 22 percent of students in grades 912 reported using
marijuana at least 1 time during the previous 30 days;
the percentage of students who reported that someone
had oered, sold, or given them an illegal drug on school
property in the previous 12 months was also 22 percent
in 2019. These percentages were not measurably dierent
from their corresponding percentages in 2009.
In 2019, student reports of marijuana use and illegal
drug availability varied by student characteristics. For
instance, an examination of the data on the availability
of illegal drugs on school property reveals dierences by
student race/ethnicity and sexual identity. Specically,
the percentage of students who reported that illegal drugs
were oered, sold, or given to them on school property in
2019 was
• higher for students of Two or more races (28 percent)
and Hispanic students (27 percent) than for Black
students (21 percent) and White students (20 percent),
all of which were higher than for Asian students
(14percent; gure 13); and
• higher for gay, lesbian, or bisexual students
(30percent) than for students who were not sure about
their sexual identity (24 percent) and students who
were heterosexual (21 percent). (Marijuana Use and
Illegal Drug Availability)
Figure 13. Percentage of students in grades 9–12 who reported that illegal drugs were made available to them on school property
during the previous 12 months, by race/ethnicity and sexual identity: 2019
! Interpret data with caution. The coefcient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
1
Students were asked which of the following—“heterosexual (straight),” “gay or lesbian,” “bisexual,” or “not sure”—best described them.
NOTE: Students were asked if anyone offered, sold, or gave them an illegal drug on school property during the previous 12 months. “On school property” was not dened
for respondents. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 2019. See Digest of
Education Statistics 2020, table 232.70.
Not sure
Gay, lesbian, or bisexual
Heterosexual
Sexual identity
1
Two or more races
American Indian/Alaska Native
Pacific Islander
Asian
Hispanic
Black
White
Race/ethnicity
Total
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.
0
21.8
19.8
21.5
26.7
14.5
17.0!
24.2
27.8
20.8
30.3
23.6
Student characteristic
Percent
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 20
Fights, Weapons, and Illegal Substances
Safety, Discipline, and Mental Health Practices
Safety and Security Measures
To maintain school discipline, order, and safety, schools
across the United States have implemented preventive
and responsive measures. Data on school practices have
been collected through School Survey on Crime and Safety
(SSOCS) by asking public school principals about their
school’s use of safety and security measures
44
and whether
their school had written procedures for responding to
certain scenarios.
The use of certain safety and security measures in public
schools has become more prevalent over time. Between
200910 and 201920, the percentage of public schools
reporting the following safety and security measures
increased:
• controlling access to school buildings (from 92 to
97percent);
• using security cameras (from 61 to 91 percent); and
• requiring faculty and sta to wear badges or picture
IDs (from 63 to 77 percent).
The percentage of public schools that reported requiring
students to wear badges or picture IDs was also higher
in 201920 than in 200910 (10 vs. 7 percent), although
there was no consistent pattern of change throughout the
period. (Safety and Security Practices at Public Schools)
44
In addition to data collected at the school level from SSOCS, data based
on student reports of safety and security measures are available from the
SCS. At the time of this report’s development, the latest year for which SCS
data are available is 2019. For information based on students’ awareness
of a particular measure rather than on documented practice, see Students’
Reports of Safety and Security Measures Observed at School.
Between 200910 and 201920, the percentage of public
schools that reported having one or more security sta
45
present at school at least once a week increased from
43 to 65 percent. In 201920, greater percentages of
secondary/high schools (84 percent) and middle schools
(81 percent) reported having any security sta, compared
with elementary schools (55 percent) and combined/other
schools (53 percent). The percentage of schools reporting
the presence of any security sta was higher for schools
with larger enrollment sizes; for instance, 96 percent of
schools with 1,000 or more students enrolled reported
having one or more security sta present, compared with
48 percent of schools with less than 300 students enrolled.
(Safety and Security Practices at Public Schools)
In 201920, about 52 percent of public schools reported
having a written plan for procedures to be performed
in the event of a pandemic disease (gure 14). This
percentage was higher than the percentage reported
in 201718 (46 percent).
46
In comparison, in 201920,
over 90 percent of public schools had a written plan for
procedures to be performed in the event of each of the
following events: a natural disaster (96 percent),
47
an
active shooter (96 percent), bomb threats or incidents
(93 percent), and a suicide threat or incident (91 percent).
(Safety and Security Practices at Public Schools)
45
Includes security ocers, security personnel, School Resource Ocers
(SROs), and sworn law enforcement ocers who are not SROs. “Security
ocers” and “security personnel” do not include law enforcement. SROs
include all career law enforcement ocers with arrest authority who have
specialized training and are assigned to work in collaboration with school
organizations.
46
The rst year in which this item was collected in SSOCS was 201718.
47
For example, earthquakes or tornadoes.
In recent years, higher percentages of public schools implemented certain safety and security measures
and oered mental health services to students:
• The percentage of public schools that reported having one or more security sta present at school at least
once a week increased from 43 percent in 200910 to 65 percent in 201920.
• A higher percentage of public schools in 201920 than in 201718 reported having a written plan for
procedures to be performed in the event of a pandemic disease (52 vs. 46 percent).
• Higher percentages of public schools in 201920 than in 201718 reported providing diagnostic mental health
assessment services to evaluate students for mental health disorders (55 vs. 51 percent) and oering mental
health treatment services to students for mental health disorders (42 vs. 38 percent).
In contrast, a lower percentage of public schools reported taking at least one serious disciplinary action in
2019–20 than in 2009–10 (35 vs. 39 percent).
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 21
Figure 14. Percentage of public schools with a written plan for procedures to be performed in selected scenarios: School year
2019–20
1
For example, earthquakes or tornadoes.
2
For example, release of mustard gas, anthrax, smallpox, or radioactive materials.
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019–20 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2020. See Digest of Education
Statistics 2021, table 233.65.
Natural
disaster
1
Active shooter
Bomb threats
or incidents
Suicide threat
or incident
Post-crisis
reunification of
students with
their families
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
Percent
Selected scenarios
100.0
Chemical,
biological, or
radiological
threats or
incidents
2
Hostages
Pandemic
disease
91.0
89.3
73.8
52.7
52.0
93.3
96.2
96.3
Disciplinary Actions
In 201920, about 35 percent of public schools overall
(29,500 schools) took at least one serious disciplinary
action
48
for specic student oenses (gure 15).
Specically, the percentage of public schools that
responded to student oenses with at least one serious
disciplinary action was
• 24 percent for physical attacks or ghts;
• 19 percent for the distribution, possession, or use of
illegal drugs;
• 10 percent for the use or possession of a weapon other
than a rearm or explosive device;
• 8 percent for the distribution, possession, or use of
alcohol; and
• 2 percent for the use or possession of a rearm or
explosive device.
48
Serious disciplinary actions refer to those more exclusionary actions and
are dened to include out-of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days but
less than the remainder of the school year; removals with no continuing
services for at least the remainder of the school year; and transfers to
alternative schools for disciplinary reasons. Schools that took serious
disciplinary actions in response to more than one type of oense were
counted only once in this total.
The overall percentage of schools taking at least one
serious disciplinary action was lower during the 201920
school year than during the 200910 school year (35 vs.
39 percent). (Serious Disciplinary Actions Taken by Public
Schools)
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 22
Safety, Discipline, and Mental Health Practices
Figure 15. Percentage of public schools that took a serious disciplinary action in response to specic offenses, by type of
offense: School years 2009–10 and 2019–20
1
Schools that took serious disciplinary actions in response to more than one type of offense were counted only once in the total.
2
The coronavirus pandemic affected the 2019–20 data collection activities. The change to virtual schooling and the adjusted school year may have impacted the data
collected by the School Survey on Crime and Safety. Readers should use caution when comparing 2019–20 estimates with those from earlier years. For more information,
see Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools in 2019–20: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety (NCES 2022-029).
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. Serious disciplinary actions include out-
of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days, but less than the remainder of the school year; removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder of the school
year; and transfers to alternative schools for disciplinary reasons. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the gures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 and 2019–20. School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010 and 2020.
See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 233.10.
19.5
19.5
8.0
24.0
39.1
29.0
35.4
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
2009–10
2019–20
2
Percent
Total
1
Physical fights
or attacks
9.2
2.4
3.0
10.0
13.5
Distribution, possession,
or use of alcohol
Distribution, possession,
or use of illegal drugs
Use or possession
of firearm or
explosive device
Use or possession of a
weapon other than a
firearm or explosive device
Type of offense
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 23
Safety, Discipline, and Mental Health Practices
Mental Health Services
In addition to practices and measures addressing specic
crime and safety concerns, many schools provide mental
health services to evaluate and treat students for mental
health disorders. Previous studies show that school
mental health resources may facilitate mental health
service use for children with mental health disorders
(Green et al. 2013).
Based on data from the 201920 SSOCS survey, 55 percent
of public schools (or 45,600 schools) reported providing
diagnostic mental health assessment
49
services to evaluate
students for mental health disorders.
50
Fewer public
schools (42 percent, or 35,200 schools) oered mental
health treatment
51
services to students for mental health
disorders. The percentages of public schools providing
either diagnostic services or treatment services were
higher in 201920 than in 201718 (55 vs. 51 percent for
diagnostic services and 42 vs. 38 percent for treatment
services). (Prevalence of Mental Health Services Provided by
Public Schools and Limitations in Schools’ Eorts to Provide
Mental Health Services)
49
A diagnostic mental health assessment is an evaluation conducted by a
mental health professional that identies whether an individual has one or
more mental health diagnoses.
50
Mental health disorders collectively refer to all diagnosable mental
disorders or health conditions that are characterized by alterations in
thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof ) associated
with distress and/or impaired functioning.
51
Treatment is a clinical intervention—which may include psychotherapy,
medication, and/or counseling—addressed at lessening or eliminating the
symptoms of a mental health disorder.
In 201920, both types of mental health services were
more prevalent among middle schools and secondary/
high schools than among elementary schools (gure 16).
In addition, the percentages of public schools providing
these services were often higher for schools with larger
enrollment sizes. Also, diagnostic services were more
prevalent in schools in cities and suburban areas than
in towns and rural areas: 61 percent of schools in cities
and 60 percent of schools in suburban areas reported
providing diagnostic services to students, compared with
50 percent of schools in towns and 44 percent of schools
in rural areas. However, there were no measurable
dierences by locale in the percentages of schools
reporting treatment services. (Prevalence of Mental Health
Services Provided by Public Schools and Limitations in
Schools’ Eorts to Provide Mental Health Services)
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 24
Safety, Discipline, and Mental Health Practices
Figure 16. Percentage of public schools providing diagnostic mental health assessments and treatment to students, by selected
school characteristics: 2019–20
1
Elementary schools are dened as schools that enroll students in more of grades K through 4 than in higher grades. Middle schools are dened as schools that enroll
students in more of grades 5 through 8 than in higher or lower grades. Secondary/high schools are dened as schools that enroll students in more of grades 9 through 12
than in lower grades. Combined/other schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.
NOTE: A diagnostic mental health assessment is an evaluation conducted by a mental health professional that identies whether an individual has one or more mental
health diagnoses. This is in contrast to an educational assessment, which does not focus on clarifying a student’s mental health diagnosis. Treatment is a clinical
intervention—which may include psychotherapy, medication, and/or counseling—addressed at lessening or eliminating the symptoms of a mental health disorder. Schools
were instructed to include only services provided by a licensed mental health professional employed or contracted by the school. Mental health professionals were dened
for respondents as including providers of mental health services within several different professions, each of which has its own training and areas of expertise. The types
of licensed professionals who may provide mental health services may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioners, psychiatric/
mental health nurses, clinical social workers, and professional counselors. Mental health disorders collectively refer to all diagnosable mental disorders or health conditions
that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning. Responses were
provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about school crime and policies to provide a safe environment.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019–20 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2020. See Digest of Education
Statistics 2021, table 233.69a.
60.9
58.6
42.9
44.8
64.7
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Percent
Total
Elementary
44.5
60.2
40.9
Less than 300
300 to 499
City
Suburban
Diagnostic mental health assessment services
46.8
43.3
34.7
46.8
42.4
47.1
39.5
42.3
45.3
44.8
44.8
40.2
Mental health treatment services
Middle
Secondary/high
Combined/other
500 to 999
1,000 or more
Town
Rural
Locale
Enrollment size
School level
1
School characteristic
Total
Elementary
Less than 300
300 to 499
City
Suburban
Middle
Secondary/high
Combined/other
500 to 999
1,000 or more
Town
Rural
Locale
Enrollment size
School level
1
School characteristic
64.0
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
50.0
71.3
52.8
49.6
54.8
In 201920, more than half of public schools (54 percent)
reported that their eorts to provide mental health
services to students were limited in a major way by
inadequate funding.
52
Forty percent reported inadequate
52
The survey collected data on limitations in public schools’ eorts to
provide mental health services regardless of whether the school actually
provided mental health services.
access to licensed mental health professionals as a major
limitation. (Prevalence of Mental Health Services Provided
by Public Schools and Limitations in Schools’ Eorts to
Provide Mental Health Services)
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 25
Safety, Discipline, and Mental Health Practices
Postsecondary Campus Safety and Security
Similar to the trend observed for the elementary and secondary level, crimes were generally less prevalent
in 2020 than a decade earlier at the postsecondary level:
• The overall rate of crimes reported on campuses of postsecondary institutions per 10,000 FTE students
enrolled in 2020 (15.0) was 20 percent lower than in 2019 (18.8) and 28 percent lower than in 2010 (20.9).
• The number of reported on-campus hate crimes in 2020 (571 incidents) was 25 percent lower than in 2019
(759incidents) and 38 percent lower than in 2010 (928 incidents). Race, sexual orientation, and ethnicity were
the three most frequently reported categories of bias motivating these hate crimes.
However, the rate of forcible sex oenses generally increased:
• The rate of forcible sex oenses increased overall between 2010 and 2020 (from 1.9 to 6.6 per 10,000 students),
although more recently, the rate decreased between 2019 and 2020 (from 8.1 to 6.6 per 10,000 students).
Active Shooter Incidents
From 2000 to 2021, there were 18 active shooter incidents
documented at postsecondary institutions, with the
annual number ranging from 0 to 2. These incidents
resulted in 157 casualties (75 killed and 82wounded).
53
Nineteen active shooters were responsible for these
18incidents; 2 shooters were 12 to 18 years old, 6 were
19to 24 years old, and 11 were 25 years old and above.
Active shooter incidents represent a small subset of the
possible gun violence or serious violent incidents that
occur at schools. (Violent Deaths at School and Away From
School, School Shootings, and Active Shooter Incidents)
Criminal Incidents
At the postsecondary level, 21,200 criminal incidents
against persons and property on campuses of
postsecondary institutions were reported in 2020—when
many postsecondary institutions shifted instruction
from in-person classes to online-only or hybrid education
during the coronavirus pandemic (gure 17).
54, 55
This
53
Number of casualties excludes the active shooters.
54
The Clery Act of 1990 species seven types of crimes that all TitleIV
institutions are required to report through the Campus Safety and
Security Survey: murder, sex oenses (forcible and nonforcible), robbery,
aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
55
As of October 9, 2020, the Department of Education has rescinded and
archived the Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, which
in previous years was provided to assist institutions, in a step-by-step
manner, in understanding and meeting the various Clery Act requirements.
The Department has instead provided a Clery-related Appendix to the
Federal Student Aid Handbook. For more information about the rescission
and replacement of the previous handbook, see: https://fsapartners.
ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/20201009/
rescission-and-replacement-2016-handbook-campus-safety-and-security-
reporting-updated-jan-192021. Due to this change, readers should exercise
caution when comparing 2020 data to those from previous years.
translates to 15.0 on-campus crimes reported per
10,000full-time-equivalent (FTE) students.
56
Among the
various types of on-campus crimes reported in 2020,
some 44percent—or 6.6 incidents per 10,000 students—
were forcible sex oenses.
57
Other commonly reported
crimes included burglaries
58
(32 percent of reported on-
campus crimes, or 4.8 incidents per 10,000 students) and
motor vehicle thefts
59
(12 percent of reported on-campus
crimes, or 1.8 incidents per 10,000 students). (Criminal
Incidents at Postsecondary Institutions)
56
The base of 10,000 FTE students includes students who are enrolled
exclusively in distance learning courses and who may not be physically
present on campus. The number of students exclusively enrolled in
distance education courses was higher in fall 2020 than in fall 2019
(see Condition of Education indicators Undergraduate Enrollment and
Postbaccalaureate Enrollment).
57
Any sexual act directed against another person forcibly and/or against
that person’s will.
58
efers to the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.
59
Theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 26
Between 2010 and 2020, the overall number of reported
on-campus crimes decreased by 34 percent (from
32,100to 21,200), but most of this decrease occurred
between 2019 and 2020, during the rst year of the
pandemic (gure 17). In addition, the rate of crime, or the
number of crimes per 10,000 FTE students, was lower in
2020 than in 2010 (15.0 vs. 20.9). Specically, the overall
rate of on-campus crimes
• was 10 percent lower in 2019 than in 2010 (18.8vs.
20.9per 10,000 FTE students) but showed no
consistent trend during this period; and
• decreased by 20 percent between 2019 and 2020,
during the rst year of the pandemic (from 18.8 to
15.0per 10,000 FTE students).
Figure 17. Number of on-campus crimes reported and number per 10,000 full-time-equivalent (FTE) students in degree-granting
postsecondary institutions, by selected type of crime: 2010 through 2020
1
Includes other reported crimes not separately shown.
2
Unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.
3
Theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
4
Any sexual act directed against another person forcibly and/or against that person’s will. Reporting guidelines for forcible sex offenses changed in 2014. In years prior
to 2014, schools reported a total number of forcible sex offenses, with no breakouts for specic types of offenses. Beginning in 2014, schools were asked to report the
numbers of two different types of forcible sex offenses: rape and fondling. These two types were added together to calculate the total number of reported forcible sex
offenses.
NOTE: Data are for degree-granting institutions, which are institutions that grant associate’s or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal nancial aid programs.
Some institutions that report Clery Act data—specically, non-degree-granting institutions and institutions outside of the 50 states and the District of Columbia—are
excluded from this gure. Includes on-campus incidents involving students, staff, and on-campus guests. Excludes off-campus incidents even if they involve students or
staff. Caution should be used when comparing on-campus data for 2020 with those of earlier years due to the switch to online learning in many postsecondary institutions
in fall 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Some data have been revised from previously published gures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Ofce of Postsecondary Education, Campus Safety and Security Reporting System, 2010 through 2020; and National Center for
Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2011 through Spring 2021, Fall Enrollment component. See Digest of Education
Statistics 2022, tables 329.10 and 329.20.
Number of on-campus crimes Number of on-campus crimes per 10,000 FTE students
Year
2010 2015 2020
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
0
10
20
30
Forcible sex offense
4
Burglary
2
Total
1
Motor vehicle theft
3
2010
2015
2020
Forcible sex offense
4
Burglary
2
Total
1
Motor vehicle theft
3
Despite the overall number and rate of crime being lower
in 2020 than in 2010, the rate for forcible sex oenses
60
increased overall between 2010 and 2020 (from 1.9 to
6.6 per 10,000 students), surpassing burglary as the
most reported oense beginning in 2018. However, more
recently, during the rst year of the pandemic, the rate
for forcible sex oenses decreased between 2019 and
2020 (from 8.1 to 6.6 per 10,000 students). (Criminal
Incidents at Postsecondary Institutions)
60
Reporting guidelines for forcible sex oenses changed in 2014. In years
prior to 2014, schools reported a total number of forcible sex oenses,
with no breakouts for specic types of oenses. Beginning in 2014, schools
were asked to report the numbers of two dierent types of forcible sex
oenses: rape and fondling. These two types were added together to
calculate the total number of reported forcible sex oenses. For instance,
5,200rapes and 4,200 fondling incidents were reported in 2020, for a total
of 9,400incidents of forcible sex oenses.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 27
Postsecondary Campus Safety and Security
Hate Crime Incidents
A hate crime is a criminal oense that is motivated,
in whole or in part, by the perpetrator’s bias against
the victim(s) based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual
orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.
61
In
2020, of the reported criminal incidents that occurred on
the campuses of postsecondary institutions, 571incidents
were classied as hate crimes. This translates to an
average of 0.4 hate crime incidents occurring per
10,000FTE students enrolled. The three most common
types of hate crimes reported by institutions were
intimidation (281 incidents); destruction, damage,
and vandalism (195 incidents); and simple assault
(58incidents; gure 18).
As noted above, many postsecondary institutions shifted
instruction from in-person classes to online-only or
hybrid education in calendar year 2020, during the
coronavirus pandemic, which meant fewer students on
college campuses.
62
The number of reported on-campus
hate crimes in 2020 (571 incidents) was 25 percent
lower than in 2019 (759 incidents) and 38 percent lower
than in 2010 (928 incidents). (Hate Crime Incidents at
Postsecondary Institutions)
61
In addition to reporting data on hate-related incidents for the seven
types of crimes already specied in the Clery Act, a 2008 amendment to
the Clery Act requires campuses to report hate-related incidents for four
additional types of crimes: simple assault; larceny; intimidation; and
destruction, damage, and vandalism.
62
According to the 201920 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
(NPSAS:20), 84 percent of undergraduate students reported having some
or all classes moved to online-only instruction in spring 2020 due to the
pandemic. For more information, see the First Look at the Impact of the
Coronavirus (COVID19) Pandemic on Undergraduate Student Enrollment,
Housing, and Finances (Preliminary Data) (NCES 2021456).
In 2020, race, sexual orientation, and ethnicity were
the three most frequently reported categories of bias
motivating on-campus hate crimes at postsecondary
institutions, accounting for about 82 percent of reported
hate crimes.
63
Race was the motivating bias in more than
half of on-campus hate crimes. Specically, of the total
reported hate crimes at postsecondary institutions,
• 55 percent were motivated by race (314 incidents);
• 16 percent were motivated by sexual orientation
(90incidents);
• 11 percent were motivated by ethnicity (65 incidents);
• 9 percent were motivated by religion (51 incidents);
• 5 percent were motivated by gender (29 incidents);
64
• 2 percent were motivated by gender identity
(13incidents);
65
and
• 2 percent were motivated by disability (9 incidents).
(Hate Crime Incidents at Postsecondary Institutions)
63
A single category of motivating bias was reported for each hate crime.
64
Dened for the respondents as a “preformed negative opinion or attitude
toward a person or group of persons based on their actual or perceived
gender, e.g., male or female.”
65
Dened for the respondents as a “preformed negative opinion or attitude
toward a person or group of persons based on their actual or perceived
gender identity, e.g., bias against transgender or gender non-conforming
individuals. Gender non-conforming describes a person who does not
conform to the gender-based expectations of society, e.g., a woman
dressed in traditionally male clothing or a man wearing makeup. A gender
non-conforming person may or may not be a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
transgender person but may be perceived as such.”
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 28
Postsecondary Campus Safety and Security
Figure 18. Number of on-campus hate crimes at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by category of bias motivating the
crime and type of crime: 2020
1
Placing another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words and/or other conduct but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the
victim to actual physical attack.
2
Willfully or maliciously destroying, damaging, defacing, or otherwise injuring real or personal property without the consent of the owner or the person having custody or
control of it.
3
Physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving
apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness.
NOTE: Data are for degree-granting institutions, which are institutions that grant associate’s or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal nancial aid programs.
Some institutions that report Clery Act data—specically, non-degree-granting institutions and institutions outside of the 50 states and the District of Columbia—are
excluded. A hate crime is a criminal offense that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the perpetrator’s bias against a group of people based on their race, ethnicity, religion,
sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. Includes on-campus incidents involving students, staff, and guests. Excludes off-campus crimes and arrests even if
they involve students or staff.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Ofce of Postsecondary Education, Campus Safety and Security Reporting System, 2020. See Digest of Education Statistics
2022, table 329.30.
Intimidation
1
Destruction, damage,
and vandalism
2
Simple assault
3
Number of on-campus hate crimes
Disability
Gender identity
Gender
Religion
Ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Race
Category of bias motivating the crime
0
3
6
4
5
3
6
4
16
1
27
22
9
14
39
9
32
44
29
110
151
0 100 200 300 400 500
600
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022 | 29
Postsecondary Campus Safety and Security
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