School Crime and Safety

Our nation’s schools should be safe havens for teaching and learning, free of crime and violence. Any instance of crime or violence at school not only affects the individuals involved, but also may disrupt the educational process and affect bystanders, the school itself, and the surrounding community.

AIR conducts research and evaluation, synthesizes information, develops tools to improve, and provides consultation and technical assistance regarding school crime and safety. AIR’s work has included conducting school and district audits, collecting and analyzing national data, and producing guides which have been released by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice. AIR also provides technical assistance and support for questionnaire development and sample design, producing and fully documenting analytic data files from raw survey data for the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS).

Latest Work

Girl being bullied
6 May 2019
Spotlight

Bullying Prevention

October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, during the 2012-2013 school year, about 22 percent of students ages 12–18 reported being bullied at school during the school year. As more is being learned about the negative psychological and physical effects of bullying, researchers are focusing on how to address the problem. The research and resources featured here relate to efforts to prevent violence in schools and help young people feel safe and supported.
17 Sep 2018 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Event

Building Safe, Engaging, and Equitable Schools

On Monday, September 17, 2018 AIR held a roundtable discussion on school safety, “Building Safe, Engaging, and Equitable Schools,” at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Speakers discussed school safety through a comprehensive, evidence-based lens, going beyond just physical safety and violence prevention.
Image of boy with backpack holding his father's hand
2 Jul 2018
Journal Article

Building Schools’ Readiness to Implement a Comprehensive Approach to School Safety

Schools and communities encounter enormous challenges in articulating, synthesizing, and implementing all the complex aspects of a comprehensive approach to school safety. This paper aims to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and the application of that evidence in schools and communities by defining the key components of a comprehensive approach to school safety and describing how schools can assess their readiness to implement a comprehensive approach.
23 Mar 2018 | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Event

Congressional Briefing: School Violence, Safety, and Well-Being: A Comprehensive Approach

On March 23, 2018, the National Prevention Science Coalition will be convening a Congressional Briefing on school violence. The session focused on bringing together top thinkers and practitioners who recognize that our common goal is to achieve student safety and well-being in addition to the absence of violence. AIR's David Osher discussed the establishment of guidelines focused on recognizing early warning signs of mental health disturbances, the screening and assessment of students who exhibit these signs, and providing the needed mental health services to these students.
Project

Indicators of School Crime and Safety

The purpose of this project is to plan, research, design, and execute the annual Indicators of School Crime and Safety, a flagship report co-sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

23 Aug 2017
Spotlight

Spotlight on School Crime and Safety

Educators, parents, and communities want their schools to be safe havens for teaching and learning, free of crime and violence. Explore these selected reports, tools and informational graphics to learn more about crime and safety incidents in schools, how they are handled, and what approaches may be having a positive effect.
27 Jul 2017
Report

Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety

These reports present key findings on crime and violence in U.S. public schools, using data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS). SSOCS provides information about school crime-related topics from the school’s perspective, asking public school principals to report the frequency of violent incidents, such as physical attacks, robberies, and thefts in their schools.
In 2015, about 15 percent of U.S. fourth-graders and 7 percent of U.S. eighth-graders reported experiencing bullying at least once a month. These percentages were lower than the international averages of 16 and 8 percent
18 May 2017
Infographic

Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2016 Compares Bullying Internationally

According to data from the 2016 Indicators of School Crime and Safety report, in 2015, about 15 percent of U.S. fourth-graders and 7 percent of U.S. eighth-graders reported experiencing bullying at least once a month. These percentages were lower than the international averages of 16 and 8 percent; this infographic breaks down the differences by country.
Among students who started high school in 2009, a higher percentage of Black students than of Hispanic, White, and Asian students had ever been suspended or expelled by 2012.
24 Oct 2016
Infographic

Infographic: School Suspensions and Expulsions

How do suspensions and expulsions differ for students from various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds?
19 Oct 2016
Spotlight

Spotlight on School Climate

Accurately measuring school climate helps schools identify areas of improvement and choose evidence-based interventions for effecting positive change. Read what our researchers are finding out about how learning environments affect whether students feel—and are—safe, connected, supported, and challenged.
10 Oct 2016
Toolkit

Safe Place to Learn Resource Kit: Preventing, Interceding, and Responding to Sexual Harassment of K-12 Students

The Safe Place to Learn resource package provides a range of materials to support school efforts to prevent and eliminate peer-to-peer sexual harassment and sexual violence. This resource package supports school district and school staff efforts to comply with Title IX sex discrimination prohibitions and create a positive school climate.
4 May 2016
Infographic

Crime and Safety at School

Which states see the most firearm possession incidents at public elementary and secondary schools? Has the number of bullying incidents increased or decreased in the past 15 years? Are schools prepared to address violent incidents in the event of a school shooting? How has crime on college campuses changed since 2001? Using the Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2015, we answer those questions here—with some surprising results.
Jizhi Zhang
3 May 2016
Blog Post

Campus Numbers Show Steep Rise in Reported Forcible Sex Crimes

New figures released today show that overall reported crimes on college campuses decreased by 34 percent between 2001 and 2013. However, reports of forcible sex crimes on college campuses increased by 126 percent over this same period. Between 2012 and 2013 alone, the reported number of forcible sex crimes rose almost 25 percent, from 4,000 to 5,000. In this blog post, Anlan Zhang and Jizhi Zhang share what we’ve learned from the Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2015 Report.
Bullied girl at locker
7 Dec 2015
Index

AIR Index: Bullying

The annual Indicators of School Crime and Safety report, co-written by AIR, shares the most current data on crime and safety at schools. See a rundown of the latest numbers on bullying.
Infographic: Reported hate crimes on college campuses in 2012
9 Jul 2015
Infographic

College Hate Crimes, Compared by Category of Bias

The annual Indicators of School Crime and Safety report, co-produced by AIR, presents the most current data on crime and safety at schools and on college campuses from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals and postsecondary institutions. The 2015 report includes a new section on college hate crimes, many of them involving race or sexual orientation; this infographic breaks down those crimes by categories of bias.
College campus at night
5 Jan 2015
Index

AIR Index: Campus Crime

The latest Indicators of School Crime and Safety report introduces a new section on criminal incidents on college campuses. These are the most recently available facts.
12 Oct 2014
Infographic

Threats and Attacks Against Teachers

Drawn from the 2014 Indicators of School Crime and Safety report, this infographic illustrates the breakdown of threats and violence against teachers. AIR has co-written the Indicators reports since 1999.
6 Oct 2014
Blog Post

How Safe Are Our Schools?

Another school year begins, and parents ask, “Will my children be safe at school?” But as Simon Robers argues, in this blog post, highly publicized school attacks and media reports of school violence skew the picture of how safe our nation’s schools really are.
Infographic showing the rise in college campus sex crimes
9 Jun 2014
Infographic

Reports of College Campus Sex Offenses on the Rise

Data from the Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2013, released today by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and which AIR played a major role in developing, show reports of college campus sex offenses have risen 52% since 2001.
12 Feb 2014
Commentary

Do We Need to Use Seclusion and Restraint in Our Schools?

All public and private educational settings should provide nurturing environments that support student learning and development. Unfortunately, some students with emotional and behavioral challenges and disorders experience seclusion or restraint instead.

26 Jun 2013
Infographic

Student Reports of Bullying

This infographic shows the percent of students reporting bullying, both at school and online, in 2011.
21 Sep 2011 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

AIR Staff to Present at the 16th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health

AIR senior research analyst Jeff Poirier will co-facilitate a workshop, “Preventing Bullying and Fostering Positive Learning Conditions for Students Who Are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning: Resources and Strategies,” at the 16th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health in Charleston, South Carolina, September 22-24, 2011.

5 Apr 2011
Report

A Rare Events Analysis of the 2007 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

The purpose of this research grant is to use data from the 2007 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey to examine the self-protective behaviors exhibited by victims of bullying.

Project

Research on the Reporting of Bullying Events

This project involved providing training and methodological expertise in the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Study.

23 Oct 2008
Report

Student Victimization in U.S. Public Schools: Results from the 2005 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

This report provides estimates of student victimization and characteristics of victims and nonvictims using data from the 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey Basic Screen Questionnaire, the NCVS Crime Incident Report, and the School Crime Supplement to the NCVS.

31 Mar 2008
Report

Student Connection Research: Final Narrative Report to the Spencer Foundation

The purpose of this report is to begin a program of research to allow us to better understand how Student Connection constructs related to other educational quality indicators, and how they can be used for school performance management.

11 Dec 2007
Report

Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2007

This report covers topics such as victimization, fights, bullying, classroom disorder, weapons, student perceptions of school safety, teacher injury, and availability and student use of drugs and alcohol. Indicators of crime and safety are compared across different population subgroups and over time. Data on crimes that occur outside of school grounds are offered as a point of comparison where available.

5 Sep 2007
Report

Public School Practices for Violence Prevention and Reduction: 2003–04

School violence can lead to a disruptive and threatening environment, physical injury, and emotional stress, all of which can be obstacles to student achievement (Elliott, Hamburg, and Williams 1998). Educators have responded to the perceived threat of school violence by implementing programs designed to prevent, deter, and respond to the potential for violence in schools (Peterson, Larson, and Skiba 2001). In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110) emphasizes the importance of safe learning environments by requiring schools to have a safety plan in place and to fund programs and practices intended to prevent and reduce violence in schools.  

20 Dec 2006
Report

Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006

This report covers topics such as victimization, fights, bullying, disorder, weapons, student perceptions of school safety, teacher injury, and drugs and alcohol. Indicators of crime and safety are compared across different population subgroups and over time. Data on crimes that occur outside of school grounds are offered as a point of comparison where available.

26 Jul 2002
Report

Improving Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System

This series addresses the issues of youth with cognitive or behavioral disabilities and their experiences in the juvenile justice system. Staff in the system can better serve these children by receiving support in understanding these issues.
21 Apr 2000
Guide

Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide

The purpose of this Action Guide is to help schools develop and implement a comprehensive violence prevention plan grounded in the principles of the Early Warning Guide. This Action Guide is based on evidence-based practices. Effective action plans are strategic, coordinated, and comprehensive. They involve schoolwide prevention, early intervention, and intensive services for students with significant emotional or behavioral needs, including those with disruptive, destructive, or violent behaviors.

25 Aug 1998
Guide

Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools

A brief summary of the research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools.