Incidents of nonfatal victimization generally have become less prevalent in elementary and secondary schools as crimes at the postsecondary level are similarly less prevalent, according to the 2023 Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety released by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The report draws from recent, available national data compiled by NCES, the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, with contributions from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
“This report highlights the complexity of trends in school crime and safety, and provide policymakers, families, educators, and the public at large with useful data about the current challenges faced by the education community,” said NCES Commissioner Dr. Peggy G. Carr.
Carr noted that, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person learning was disrupted, and the total criminal victimization rate decreased at schools.
“Following this decline, the latest available data show that criminal victimization of 12- to 18-year-olds increased in schools in 2022,” she said. “Similarly, the crime rate on college campuses increased in 2021. However, neither rate exceeded 2019 pre-pandemic levels.”
Carr said the total criminal victimization rate at schools remained lower compared to a decade before, with some exceptions for specific types of crimes such as forcible sex offenses on college campuses.
The NCES report further examins and presents findings on active shooter incidents and deaths, student victimization, bullying, students carrying weapons, mental health services offered in schools, safety and security measures, and on-campus criminal incidents at postsecondary institutions, including hate crimes.