Table A-27-1. Percentage of public schools experiencing and reporting at least one incident of crime that occurred at school to the police, by type of incident: School years 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005

Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education: Tables

School Characteristics and Climate

Table A-27-1. Percentage of public schools experiencing and reporting at least one incident of crime that occurred at school to the police, by type of incident: School years 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005–06

	Experienced various types of incidents				Reported to police
Type of incident	1999–2000		2003–04	2005–06	1999–2000		2003–04	2005–06
Total	86.4		88.5	85.7	62.5		65.2	60.9
Violent incidents	71.4		81.4	77.7	36.0		43.6	37.7
Physical attack or fight without a weapon	63.7		76.7	74.3	25.8		35.6	29.2
Threat of physical attack without a weapon	52.2		53.0	52.2	18.9		21.0	19.7
Serious violent incidents	19.7		18.3	17.1	14.8		13.3	12.6
Rape or attempted rape	0.7		0.8	0.3	0.6		0.8	0.3
Sexual battery other than rape	2.5		3.0	2.8	2.3		2.6	2.6
Physical attack or fight with a weapon	5.2		4.0	3.0	3.9		2.8	2.2
Threat of physical attack with a weapon	11.1		8.6	8.8	8.5		6.0	5.9
Robbery with a weapon	0.5	!	0.6	0.4	0.3	!	0.6	0.4
Robbery without a weapon	5.3		6.3	6.4	3.4		4.2	4.9

Theft/larceny¹	45.6		46.0	46.0	28.5		30.5	27.9

Other incidents	72.7		64.0	68.2	52.0		50.0	50.6
Possession of a firearm/explosive device	5.5		6.1	7.2	4.5		4.9	5.5
Possession of a knife or sharp object²	42.6		15.9	42.8	23.0		12.1	25.0
Distribution of illegal drugs	12.3		12.9	—	11.4		12.4	—
Possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs	26.6		29.3	—	22.2		26.0	—
Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs	—		—	25.9	—		—	22.8
Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol	—		—	16.2	—		—	11.6
Student sexual harassment of other students	36.3		—	—	14.7		—	—
Vandalism	51.4		51.4	50.5	32.7		34.3	31.9
— Not available.
! Interpret data with caution (estimates are unstable).
¹ Theft/larceny (taking things worth over $10 without personal confrontation) was defined for respondents as “the unlawful taking of another person’s property without personal confrontation, threat, violence, or bodily harm. Included are pocket picking, stealing a purse or backpack (if left unattended or no force was used to take it from owner), theft from a building, theft from a motor vehicle or of motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of bicycles, theft from vending machines, and all other types of thefts.”
²The questionnaire wording for possession of a knife or sharp object differed among survey administrations. In 1999–2000 and 2005–06, the question asked about possession of a knife or sharp object. In 2003–04, the question was changed to refer to possession of a knife or sharp object with intent to harm.
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. “At school” was defined for respondents to include 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, or after normal school hours or when school activities or events were in session. For more information on SSOCS, see supplemental note 3.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005–06 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2000, 2004, and 2006.

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