Citation

Brezina T, Wright JD. Forum Appl. Res. Public Policy 2000; 15(4): 82.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Tennessee Valley Authority)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Heightened media attention, especially to homicides with multiple victims, has led the public to believe that school violence is a growing problem. In fact, the total number of school-related violent incidents, including suicides and homicides, has steadily declined since the 1992-1993 school year, as have overall incidents of youth violence. The chance of dying a violent death at school is still less than one in a million.

Although the levels of serious school violence--including homicide, robbery, rape, sexual assault, and aggravated assault--remain unacceptably high, most serious violence occurs outside schools, on neighborhood streets or in the home. [6] Students are three times more likely to be victims of a violent crime away from school than on school property, at a school-sponsored event, or on the way to or from school.

To be sure, the number of multiple-victim homicides has increased in recent years, but fortunately the incidence of such acts remains extremely rare....

Language: en