Understanding School Violence

Fact Sheet 2016

School violence is youth violence that occurs on 

school property, on the way to or from school 

or school-sponsored events, or during a schoolsponsored event. A young person can be a victim, a 

perpetrator, or a witness of school violence. School 

violence may also involve or impact adults.

Youth violence includes various behaviors. Some 

violent acts—such as bullying, pushing, and 

shoving—can cause more emotional harm than 

physical harm. Other forms of violence, such as gang 

violence and assault (with or without weapons), can 

lead to serious injury or even death.

To learn more about school violence and youth violence, 

please visit: www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention .

Why is school violence a 

public health problem?

School associated violent deaths are rare.1

•	 31 homicides of school-age youth, ages 5 to 18 years,

occurred at school during the 2012-2013 school year.

•	 Of all youth homicides, less than 2.6% occur at school,

and this percentage has been relatively stable for the 

past decade.

In 2014, there were about 486,400 nonfatal violent

victimizations at school among students 12 to 18 years

of age.1

Approximately 9% of teachers report that they have 

been threatened with injury by a student from their 

school; 5% of school teachers reported that they

had been physically attacked by a student from their 

school.1

In 2013, 12% ofstudents ages 12–18 reported that gangs

were present at their school during the school year.1

In a 2015 nationally representative sample of youth in

grades 9-12:2

•	 7.8% reported being in a physical fight on school

property in the 12 months before the survey.

•	 5.6% reported that they did not go to school on

one or more days in the 30 days before the survey

because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to 

or from school.

•	 4.1% reported carrying a weapon (gun, knife or club)

on school property on one or more days in the 30

days before the survey.

•	 6.0% reported being threatened or injured with a

weapon on school property one or more times in the 

12 months before the survey.

•	 20.2% reported being bullied on school property

and 15.5% reported being bullied electronically

during the 12 months before the survey.

How does school violence

affect health?

Deaths resulting from school violence are only part of 

the problem. Many young people experience nonfatal 

injuries. Some of these injuries are relatively minor and 

include cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Other injuries, 

like gunshot wounds and head trauma, are more serious 

and can lead to permanent disability.

Not all injuries are visible. Exposure to youth violence 

and school violence can lead to a wide array of negative 

health behaviors and outcomes, including alcohol and 

drug use and suicide. Depression, anxiety, and many 

other psychological problems, including fear, can result 

from school violence. 

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 

Division of Violence Prevention
Understanding School Violence

Who is at risk for 

school violence?

A number of factors can increase the risk of a youth 

engaging in violence at school. However, the presence of 

these factors does not always mean that a young person 

will become an offender.

Risk factors for school and youth violence include:

• Prior history of violence

• Drug, alcohol, or tobacco use

• Association with delinquent peers

• Poor family functioning

• Poor grades in school

• Poverty in the community

Note: This is only some information about risk. To 

learn more, go to www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/

youthviolence/schoolviolence/risk.html.

How can we prevent 

school violence?

The goal is to stop school violence from happening in 

the first place. Several prevention strategies have been

identified.

• Universal, school-based prevention programs can

significantly lower rates of aggression and violent

behavior.3 These programs are delivered to all students

in a school or grade level. They teach about various

topics and develop skills, such as emotional selfawareness and control, positive social skills, problem

solving, conflict resolution, and teamwork.

• Parent- and family-based programs can improve family

relations and lower the risk for violence by children

especially when the programs are started early.4 These 

programs provide parents with education about child

development and teach skills to communicate and

solve problems in nonviolent ways.

• Street outreach programs can significantly reduce

youth violence.4 These programs connect trained

staff with at-risk youth to conduct conflict mediation,

make service referrals, and change beliefs about the

acceptability of violence.

2

How does CDC approach 

prevention?

CDC uses a four-step approach to address public health 

problems like school violence:

Step 1: Define the problem

Before we can prevent school violence, we need to know 

how big the problem is, where it is, and who it affects. CDC 

learns about a problem by gathering and studying data. 

These data are critical because they help us know where 

prevention is most needed.

Step 2: Identify risk and protective factors

It is not enough to know that school violence affects 

certain students in certain areas. We also need to know 

why. CDC conducts and supports research to answer this 

question. We can then develop programs to reduce or

get rid of risk factors and to increase protective factors.

Step 3: Develop and test prevention strategies

Using information gathered in research, CDC develops

and evaluates strategies to prevent school violence.

Step 4: Ensure widespread adoption

In this final step, CDC shares the best prevention strategies. CDC may also provide funding or technical help so 

communities can adopt these strategies. 

What does CDC do to 

prevent school violence?

The CDC leads many activities that help us to understand 

and effectively prevent school violence. Some of these 

activities include: 

• Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS).

The YRBSS monitors health-risk behaviors among

youth, including physical fighting, bullying, weapon

carrying, and suicide. Data are collected every

two years and provide nationally representative

information about youth in grades 9-12.

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
Understanding School Violence

• School-Associated Violent Death Study. CDC leads a

collaboration with the Departments of Education and

Justice to monitor school-associated violent deaths at

the national level.

www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/

schoolviolence/SAVD.html

• School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS).

The SHPPS is a national survey that assesses policies

and practices at the state, district, school, and

classroom levels. Eight elements of school health

are assessed, including approaches to keep a school

environment safe and to prevent violence.

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/shpps

• Health Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT). The HECAT 

contains guidance, appraisal tools, and resources to

help schools conduct an analysis of health education

curricula based on the National Health Education

Standards and CDC’s Characteristics of an Effective

Health Education Curriculum. The results can help

schools select or develop curricula to address a

number of topics, including violence prevention.

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/hecat/

• School Health Index (SHI). The SHI is a selfassessment and planning tool that schools can use to

improve their health and safety policies and programs.

Five topics are covered, including violence.

www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm

• National Centers for Excellence on Youth Violence

Prevention (YVPCs). Through collaborations between

researchers and local organizations (including the local

health department), the YVPCs work with high-risk

communities to carry out and evaluate a multifaceted,

science-based approach for reducing youth violence.

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/ace/

• Guide to Community Preventive Services.

The Community Guide is a resource for systematic

reviews of research and recommendations about what

works to improve public health. Examination of youth

violence prevention strategies have included firearm

laws, therapeutic foster care, universal school-based

violence prevention programs, and transfer of juveniles

to adult courts.

www.thecommunityguide.org/

• Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere

(STRYVE). CDC’s national STRYVE initiative provides

information, training, and tools to help increase

public health leadership in preventing youth violence,

promote the widespread use of evidence-based

prevention strategies, and reduce national rates of

youth violence.

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/stryve/

For more information about CDC’s role in preventing 

youth violence, see www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/

youthviolence/index.html.

Where can I learn more?

CDC Division of Violence Prevention

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention

CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/

STRYVE

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/stryve/

Stop Bullying

www.stopbullying.gov

Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44294/

References

1. Zhang A, Musu-Gillette L, and Oudekerk BA. Indicators of School Crime 

and Safety: 2015 (NCES	2016-079/NCJ	249758).	National	Center	for

Education	Statistics,	U.S.	Department	of	Education,	and	Bureau	of	

Justice	Statistics,	Office	of	Justice	Programs,	U.S.	Department	of	Justice.

Washington,	DC;	2016.	

2. Kann L, McManus T, Harris WA, et al. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance 

—	United	States,	2015.	MMWR	Morb	Mortal	Surveil	Summ.	2016;65(SS06):1-174.	Available	from	http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/ss/

pdfs/ss6506.pdf.

3.	 Centers	for	Disease	Control	and	Prevention.	The	effectiveness	of	universal

school-based programs for the prevention of violent and aggressive 

behavior: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community 

Preventive	Services.	MMWR	2007;56(RR-7):1-12.		Available	from	www.cdc.

gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5607.pdf. 

4. David-Ferdon C, Simon TR. Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for 

Action.	Atlanta,	GA:	National	Center	for	Injury	Prevention	and	Control,

Centers	for	Disease	Control	and	Prevention,	2014.	Available	from	http://

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/opportunities-foraction.html.

1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) • www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention