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Violence in schools - real life statistics

By Murray Bourne, 13 Apr 2007

There is an interesting summary of crime in US schools at Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006, by the National Center for Education Statistics of the USA.

Among the interesting statistics in the report:

Fighting

In 2005, some 36 percent of students in grades 9-12 reported being in a fight anywhere, and 14 percent said they had been in a fight on school property.

Weapons

Students were asked if they had carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club in the past 30 days (referred to as "anywhere" in this report) or had carried one of these weapons on school property in the past 30 days. In 2005, some 19 percent of students in grades 9-12 reported they had carried a weapon anywhere, and about 6 percent reported they had carried a weapon on school property.

Alcohol

Students in grades 9-12 were asked whether they had consumed alcohol at all in the past 30 days (referred to as "anywhere" in this report) and if they had consumed alcohol on school property. In 2005, some 43 percent of students consumed at least one drink of alcohol anywhere, and 4 percent consumed at least one drink on school property.

Marijuana

In 2005, some 20 percent of students in grades 9-12 reported using marijuana anywhere during the past 30 days, and 5 percent reported using marijuana on school property.

Source.

Do these numbers sound right to you, where you live?

See the 6 Comments below.

6 Comments on “Violence in schools - real life statistics”

  1. subrahmanyeswara rao says:

    I want to know what Marijuana exactly?

  2. Marta Bravo-Luna says:

    First of all Happy New Year and the besto for 2009
    In my country (Argentina) data is specially referred to a drug call Paco, which is produced with the worst residue products of cocaine distillation, quite a rubish, I should say, and it started in under priviliged adolescents or older also, groups, but presently it's used in all groups. It's almost easy to obtain, is cheap, and certainly very dangerous in the long time.
    To talk about these, and the experience with this subject in different countries, perhaps might help to fight this global flaw.
    really very interesting to bring this subject to the site
    Friendly yours. Marta

  3. LUTFI says:

    A happy new year to all readers,
    I live in UK, the figures does sound right in the official context perhaps there would have been some other elements affecting the outcome for the survey which are not controllable.

    SUBRAHMANYESWARA rao, Marijuana is type of narcotics like cocain, hereon...absolutely in the list for illegal drugs is the first illegal one, and the most dangerous one of them.
    tnx

  4. Murray says:

    Thanks Marta and Lufti for your inputs.

    It’s a shame that people throw away their potential in every country. I’m afraid that the global financial crisis is going to make things worse, because it will be the young who will be most affected by unemployment.

  5. Indrani Bhaduri says:

    I am interested to know about bullying in US schools.

  6. Murray says:

    Hi Indrani

    A quick Google search brought up the following:

    Youth Violence Data Sheet

    Hope that helps.

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