Amid public concerns about school safety fueled by high-profile school shootings, new federal data show reports of student fights, bullying, and other forms of victimization have continued a decades-long decline. At the same time, schools have ramped up security measures, such as the use of cameras and restricted entrances.
The data come as a new, separate poll shows Americans think schools have gotten less safe since a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., 20 years ago last month.
“Indicators of School Crime and Safety,” a report compiled by agencies within the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, also showed that students ages 12-18 were slightly more likely to say they feared attack or harm at school than away from it. Still, rates of students reporting such fears have declined since 2001. Reports of victimization at school also declined. Students ages 12-17 reported lower rates of theft, assault, and such offenses as rape and robbery.
