In recent findings, students aged 12 to 18 reported experiencing more crime at school compared to outside school premises in 2024. This revelation comes from a federal analysis that highlights ongoing concerns about school safety, even though the overall crime victimization rate has remained stable since 2014.
According to a report released by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, the total victimization rate at school, which includes theft and nonfatal violent crimes like robbery and assault, stood at 27 per 1,000 students in 2024. This is significantly higher than the rate of 17.7 per 1,000 away from school. These statistics are derived from the National Crime Victimization Survey, which annually collects data on crimes experienced by individuals, focusing on the six months preceding the survey.
This survey offers a unique perspective on school safety, as it reports victimization experiences from respondents rather than relying solely on crimes documented by police or school authorities. The definition of “at school” in the report encompasses incidents occurring within school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, or while commuting to and from school.
The report indicates that while the overall crime victimization rate at school has not shifted significantly since 2014 or between 2023 and 2024, there was a notable increase in reported nonfatal violent victimization at school from 14.2 per 1,000 students in 2023 to 21.8 per 1,000 in 2024. Despite this rise, the decade-long trend from 2014 to 2024 did not show significant changes.
Simple assault emerged as a primary contributor to nonfatal violent victimization, with the exclusion of simple assault bringing the violent victimization rate at school to 5.8 per 1,000 students in 2024, consistent with rates from 2014 and 2023. Meanwhile, theft victimization at school showed a long-term decline, dropping from 14.1 per 1,000 students in 2014 to 5.2 per 1,000 in 2024, with a similar decrease observed away from school.
Differences among Students
The report also highlights variances in victimization rates influenced by students’ residential areas and household income. For instance, suburban students faced a higher total victimization rate at school in 2024 — 31.5 per 1,000 — compared to their rural counterparts, who reported a rate of 11 per 1,000. In urban areas, the rate was 27 per 1,000, though the data is less reliable due to the smaller sample size.
Income levels also played a role in victimization rates. Students from households earning less than $25,000 annually reported the highest victimization rate at school, 60.3 per 1,000. This rate decreased progressively with higher household incomes, with the lowest rate of 18.9 per 1,000 among students from households earning $100,000 or more.
No significant differences were found in total victimization at school based on students’ race or Hispanic origin, nor between male and female students across various crime types. However, outside school, female students faced a higher victimization rate than males, 23.5 per 1,000 compared to 12.2 per 1,000.
Age-related differences were minimal, with the overall school victimization rate being similar for students aged 12 to 14 and those aged 15 to 18. Younger students, however, experienced higher theft victimization at school, with rates of 7.5 per 1,000 compared to 3 per 1,000 for older students.
