Crime, Violence, Discipline, and 

Safety in U.S. Public Schools 

Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10

First Look

NCES 2011-320 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Crime, Violence, Discipline, and 

Safety in U.S. Public Schools 

Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10

First Look

MAY 2011

Samantha Neiman

Education Statistics Services Institute –

MacroSys Research and Technology, LLC

Monica R. Hill

Project Officer

National Center for Education Statistics

NCES 2011-320

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education 

Arne Duncan 

Secretary

Institute of Education Sciences 

John Q. Easton 

Director

National Center for Education Statistics 

Jack Buckley 

Commissioner

Elementary/Secondary & Libraries Studies Division 

Jeffrey A. Owings 

Associate Commissioner

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Suggested Citation 

Neiman, S. (2011). Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 

2009–10 (NCES 2011-320). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Government Printing Office.

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Content Contact 

Monica R. Hill

(202) 502-7379

monica.hill@ed.gov
iii

Acknowledgments 

The author would like to extend special thanks to the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) for funding the School Survey on Crime 

and Safety (SSOCS) and offer specific gratitude to Bill Modzeleski of OSDFS for his 

continued support and guidance. 

Finally, the author would like to thank all of the schools and school staff who responded 

to the 2009–10 SSOCS. This report would not be possible without their participation. 
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v 

Contents 

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Page

Acknowledgments iii

List of Tables vi

Introduction 1

Selected Findings: School Year 2009–10 3

Estimate Tables 5

Appendix A: Standard Error Tables A-1

Appendix B: Methodology and Technical Notes B-1

References. B-9

Appendix C: Description of Variables C-1

Appendix D: 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety Questionnaire D-1
vi 

List of Tables 

 

 

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Table Page

1. Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of 

crime that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate 

of incidents per 1,000 students, by incident type and selected school 

characteristics: School year 2009–10. 7

2. Number and percentage of public schools reporting student threats 

of physical attack and incidents of robbery that occurred at school, 

the number of incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, 

by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10 8

3. Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of the 

distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol at school; 

inappropriate distribution, possession, or use of prescription drugs at 

school; or of vandalism at school, the number of incidents reported, 

and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school 

characteristics: School year 2009–10..................................................... 9

4. Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of hate 

crime, gang-related crime, and gang-related hate crime at school, the 

number of incidents reported, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 

students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10 10

5. Percentage of public schools reporting selected types of disciplinary 

problems occurring at school daily or at least once a week, or at all, 

by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10 11

6. Percentage of public schools reporting selected types of 

cyberbullying problems occurring at school or away from school 

daily or at least once a week, by selected school characteristics: 

School year 2009–10 12

7. Number and percentage of students in public schools involved in the 

use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or explosive 

device at school receiving various disciplinary actions, by selected 

school characteristics: School year 2009–10. 13

8. Percentage distribution of public schools reporting selected 

percentages of students with a parent or guardian who attended an 

open house or back-to-school night or attended regularly scheduled 

parent-teacher conferences, by selected school characteristics: School 

year 2009–10 14
vii 

Table 

 

Page

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 ....... 

 

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9. Percentage of public schools reporting the use of selected violence 

prevention program components, by selected school characteristics: 

School year 2009–10 . 15

10. Percentage of public schools that had a written plan for a specific 

crisis situation, by selected school characteristics: School year 

2009–10 16

11. Percentage of public schools that drilled students on a written plan

for a specific crisis situation, by selected school characteristics: 

School year 2009–10 17

12. Percentage of public schools reporting that their efforts to reduce or 

prevent crime at school were limited in a major way, a minor way, 

or not at all, by selected factors: School year 2009–10 18

A-1. Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools 

reporting incidents of crime that occurred at school, the number of 

incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by incident 

type and selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10. A-3

A-2. Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools 

reporting student threats of physical attack and incidents of robbery 

that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of 

incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school characteristics: 

School year 2009–10 A-4

A-3. Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools 

reporting incidents of the distribution, possession, or use of illegal 

drugs or alcohol at school; inappropriate distribution, possession, or 

use of prescription drugs at school; or of vandalism at school, the 

number of incidents reported, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 

students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10 A-5

A-4. Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools 

reporting incidents of hate crime, gang-related crime, and gangrelated hate crime at school, the number of incidents reported, and 

the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school 

characteristics: School year 2009–10 A-6

A-5. Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting 

selected types of disciplinary problems occurring at school daily or 

at least once a week, or at all, by selected school characteristics: 

School year 2009–10 A-7
viii

Table 

 

Page

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A-6. Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting 

selected types of cyberbullying problems occurring at school or 

away from school daily or at least once a week, by selected school 

characteristics: School year 2009–10 A-8

A-7. Standard errors for the number and percentage of students in public 

schools involved in the use or possession of a weapon other than a 

firearm or explosive device at school receiving various disciplinary 

actions, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10 A-9

A-8. Standard errors for the percentage distribution of public schools 

reporting selected percentages of students with a parent or guardian 

who attended an open house or back-to-school night or attended 

regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences, by selected school 

characteristics: School year 2009–10. A-10

A-9. Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting the 

use of selected violence prevention program components, by 

selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10 ........................... A-11

A-10. Standard errors for the percentage of public schools that had a 

written plan for a specific crisis situation, by selected school 

characteristics: School year 2009–10. A-12

A-11. Standard errors for the percentage of public schools that drilled 

students on a written plan for a specific crisis situation, by selected 

school characteristics: School year 2009–10 A-13 

A-12. Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting that 

their efforts to reduce or prevent crime at school were limited in a 

major way, a minor way, or not at all, by selected factors: School 

year 2009–10 A-14 

B-1. Unweighted and weighted unit response rates, by selected school

characteristics: School year 2009–10..................................................... B-8
1 

Introduction 

This report presents findings on crime and violence in U.S. public schools,1

 using data 

from the 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2010). First administered 

in school year 1999–2000 and repeated in school years 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, and 

2009–10, SSOCS provides information on school crime-related topics from the 

perspective of schools. Developed and managed by the National Center for Education 

Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences and supported by the Office 

of Safe and Drug-Free Schools of the U.S. Department of Education, SSOCS asks public 

school principals about the frequency of incidents, such as physical attacks, robberies, 

and thefts, in their schools. Portions of this survey also focus on school programs, 

disciplinary actions, and the policies implemented to prevent and reduce crime in schools. 

SSOCS:2010 is based on a nationally representative stratified random sample of 3,476 

U.S. public schools. Data collection began on February 24, 2010, when questionnaires 

were mailed to principals, and continued through June 11, 2010. A total of 2,648 public 

primary, middle, high, and combined schools provided usable questionnaires, yielding an 

unweighted response rate of approximately 77 percent. When the responding schools 

were weighted to account for their original sampling probabilities, the response rate 

increased to approximately 81 percent. A nonresponse bias analysis was performed 

because the weighted response rate was less than 85 percent, and the results suggest that 

nonresponse bias is not an issue for SSOCS:2010. For more information about the 

methodology and design of SSOCS, including how response rates were calculated and 

the details of the nonresponse bias analysis, please see Appendix B: Methodology and 

Technical Notes in this report. 

Because the purpose of this report is to introduce new NCES data through the 

presentation of tables containing descriptive information, only selected findings are 

presented below. These findings have been chosen to demonstrate the range of 

information available when using SSOCS:2010 data rather than to discuss all of the 

observed differences. 

The tables in this report contain totals and percentages generated from bivariate crosstabulation procedures. All of the results are weighted to represent the population of U.S. 

public schools. Comparisons drawn in the bulleted items below have been tested for 

statistical significance at the .05 level using Student’s t statistic to ensure that the 

differences are larger than those that might be expected due to sampling variation. 

Adjustments for multiple comparisons were not included. Many of the variables 

examined are related to one another, and complex interactions and relationships have not 

been explored. Due to the large sample size, many differences (no matter how 

substantively minor) are statistically significant; thus, only differences of 5 percentage 

points or more between groups are mentioned in the findings. 

 

1 SSOCS includes regular public schools and public charter schools, but excludes special education schools, vocational schools, 

alternative schools (e.g., adult continuing education schools and remedial schools), newly closed schools, home schools, ungraded 

schools, schools with a high grade of kindergarten or lower, Department of Defense schools, schools sponsored by the Bureau of 

Indian Education, schools in the U.S. outlying areas and Puerto Rico, and other nonregular schools.
2 

More information about the SSOCS survey, publications, and data products can be found 

at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ssocs. 
3 

Selected Findings: School Year 2009–10

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

During the 2009–10 school year, the rate of violent incidents2

 per 1,000 students 

was higher in middle schools (40 incidents) than in primary schools or high 

schools (21 incidents each) (table 1). 

Some 46 percent of schools reported at least one student threat of physical attack 

without a weapon, compared to 8 percent of schools reported such a threat with a 

weapon (table 2). 

Some 25 percent of schools reported at least one incident of the distribution, 

possession, or use of illegal drugs, a higher percentage than that of the 

distribution, possession, or use of alcohol (14 percent of schools) or prescription 

drugs (12 percent of schools) (table 3).

Some 10 percent of city schools reported at least one gang-related crime,

3 a 

higher percentage than that reported by suburban (5 percent), town (4 percent), or 

rural schools (2 percent) (table 4). 

A higher percentage of middle schools reported that student bullying occurred at 

school daily or at least once a week4 (39 percent) than did high schools or primary 

schools (20 percent each) (table 5).

A lower percentage of schools with 50 percent or less White student enrollment 

reported that cyberbullying among students occurred daily or at least once a week 

(5 percent) than did schools with higher percentages of White student enrollment 

(7 to 13 percent) (table 6).

For students involved in the use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or 

explosive device at school, 40 percent of students received out-of-school 

suspensions lasting 5 or more days, 36 percent of students received other 

disciplinary actions (e.g., suspensions for less than 5 days, detention, etc.), 19 

percent of students received transfers to specialized schools, and 6 percent of 

students received removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder 

of the school year (table 7). 

A lower percentage of schools with 1,000 or more students reported that more 

than 75 percent of students had a parent or guardian who attended regularly 

scheduled parent-teacher conferences (23 percent) than did schools with lower 

enrollments (53 to 56 percent) (table 8). 

 

2

Violent incidents include rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with or without a weapon, threat of physical 

attack with or without a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon. 3

Includes gang-related hate crime. 4 Includes schools for which one of the following two response categories was selected: “daily” or “at least once a week.”
4 

•

•

•

•

A higher percentage of schools with 1,000 or more students involved students in 

resolving student conduct problems as a component of violence prevention 

programs (60 percent) than did schools with lower enrollments (39 to 49 percent) 

(table 9).

Some 41 percent of schools reported having a written plan for the U.S. national 

threat level being changed to red (severe risk of terrorist attack) by the 

Department of Homeland Security, compared to 95 percent of schools that 

reported having a written plan for natural disasters and 94 percent of schools that 

reported having a written plan for bomb threats or incidents (table 10). 

A higher percentage of suburban schools drilled students on a written plan 

describing procedures to be performed during a shooting (58 percent) than did 

city schools or rural schools (49 and 48 percent, respectively). The percentage of 

town schools (53 percent) that drilled students on this type of plan was not 

measurably different from the percentage of suburban schools (table 11). 

Among the factors that were reported to limit schools’ efforts to reduce or prevent 

crime “in a major way,” three were more likely to be reported than others: 

inadequate funds (25 percent); a lack of, or inadequate, alternative placements or 

programs for disruptive students (21 percent); and federal, state, or district 

policies on disciplining special education students (16 percent) (table 12). 
5 

Estimate Tables 
This page is intentionally left blank
Table 1.—Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of crime that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by incident type and selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Total Number Percent Number Rate per Number Percent Number Rate per Number Percent Number Rate per Number Percent Number Rate per

number of of of 1,000 of of of 1,000 of of of 1,000 of of of 1,000

School characteristic schools schools schools incidents students schools schools incidents students schools schools incidents students schools schools incidents students

nnnAll public schools 82,800 61,100 73.8 1,183,700 25.0 13,600 16.4 52,500

!

1.1

!

36,500 44.1 258,500 5.5 56,400 68.1 434,700 9.2

Level5

nn

nn

nn

nn

Primary 48,900 31,500 64.4 482,100 21.3 6,400 13.0 21,900 1.0 12,600 25.7 41,700 1.8 28,000 57.3 101,900 4.5

Middle 15,300 13,800 90.5 375,200 40.0 2,900 18.9 13,600 1.5 9,900 65.2 69,000 7.4 12,500 81.9 104,000 11.1

High school 12,200 11,100 90.9 264,400 21.4 3,400 27.6 13,500 1.1 10,100 82.6 125,000 10.1 11,300 92.2 200,100 16.2

Combined 6,400 4,700 73.7 62,000 20.8 1,000 15.5 ‡ ‡ 3,800 60.5 22,700 7.6 4,600 72.5 28,800 9.7

Enrollment size 

nn

nn

nn

nn

Less than 300 18,900 11,800 62.8 111,300 27.2 2,000 10.4 6,100 1.5 5,800 30.7 21,400 5.2 10,400 55.3 36,600 8.9

300–499 25,200 18,000 71.3 274,400 26.5 4,000 15.7 14,200 1.4 9,200 36.4 40,900 3.9 15,900 63.3 71,100 6.9

500–999 29,800 22,800 76.4 487,900 25.0 4,800 15.9 16,400 0.8 13,900 46.7 81,800 4.2 21,600 72.5 134,600 6.9

1,000 or more 8,900 8,500 95.4 310,100 23.2 2,900 32.8 15,700 1.2 7,600 84.9 114,500 8.6 8,400 94.3 192,500 14.4

Urbanicity 

nn

nn

nn

nn

City 21,500 16,100 74.9 396,300 28.8 4,700 21.7 17,400 1.3 10,200 47.6 85,400 6.2 15,800 73.5 160,200 11.7

Suburb 23,800 17,500 73.5 371,000 22.4 3,700 15.5 16,200 1.0 10,300 43.1 81,000 4.9 15,800 66.1 133,200 8.0

Town 12,100 9,700 80.3 166,300 28.2 1,900 15.6 6,300 1.1 5,600 46.2 33,400 5.7 8,900 74.1 55,100 9.3

Rural 25,300 17,800 70.2 250,100 22.5 3,400 13.2 12,600 1.1 10,400 41.1 58,700 5.3 15,900 62.6 86,200 7.8

Percent White enrollment

nn

nn

nn

nn

More than 95 percent 11,700 8,200 69.6 108,500 23.3 1,500 12.6 5,400 ! 1.2 ! 4,800 40.8 22,700 4.9 6,900 59.0 34,200 7.4

More than 80 to 95 percent 20,900 14,200 67.9 192,800 17.2 2,100 9.9 6,500 0.6 8,000 38.3 53,300 4.8 12,800 61.2 79,800 7.1

More than 50 to 80 percent 20,000 15,200 75.9 293,600 23.1 3,700 18.6 15,100 1.2 9,200 46.2 74,400 5.8 13,900 69.7 113,000 8.9

50 percent or less 30,100 23,600 78.2 588,800 31.4 6,300 21.1 25,400 1.4 14,500 48.0 108,100 5.8 22,800 75.5 207,700 11.1

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

Violent incidents include rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with or without a weapon, threat of physical attack with or without a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.

2

Serious violent incidents include rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with a weapon, threat of physical attack with a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon. 

3

Theft or larceny (taking things worth over $10 without personal confrontation) was defined for respondents as "the unlawful taking of another person's property without personal confrontation, threat, violence, or bodily harm. This includes pocket picking, 

stealing a purse or backpack (if left unattended or no force was used to take it from owner), theft from a building, theft from a motor vehicle or motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of a bicycle, theft from a vending machine, and all other types of thefts."

4

Other incidents include possession of a firearm or explosive device; possession of a knife or sharp object; distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol; vandalism; and inappropriate distribution, possession, or use of prescription drugs. 

5

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade 

is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. 

Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

Serious violent incidents2 Theft3 Other incidents4 Violent incidents1

7
Table 2.—Number and percentage of public schools reporting student threats of physical attack and incidents of robbery that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school 

Table 2.—characteristics: School year 2009–10

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

School characteristic students

nnnAll public schools 6,350 7.7 19,180 0.4 38,430 46.4 405,900 8.6 200 0.2 410 ! # 3,670 4.4 14,340 0.3

Level4

nnPrimary 3,350 6.8 7,750 0.3 18,610 38.0 165,040 7.3 # # # # 1,320 2.7 5,582 ! 0.2 !

nnMiddle 1,570 10.3 7,620 0.8 9,390 61.5 122,680 13.1 80 ! 0.5 ! ‡ ‡ 840 5.5 2,880 0.3

nnHigh school 1,220 10.0 3,230 0.3 7,570 61.9 93,890 7.6 130 1.0 ‡ ‡ 1,300 10.6 5,520 0.4

nnCombined 210 ! 3.4 ! ‡ ‡ 2,850 44.9 24,290 8.1 # # # # ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 710 ! 3.8 ! 810 ! 0.2 ! 6,460 34.3 42,250 10.3 # # # # 550 ! 2.9 ! ‡ ‡

nn300–499 2,020 8.0 5,820 ! 0.6 ! 11,230 44.6 103,410 10.0 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 680 2.7 1,560 ! 0.2 !

nn500–999 2,480 8.3 6,650 0.3 14,260 47.8 157,060 8.1 56 ! 0.2 ! ‡ ‡ 1,220 4.1 4,310 0.2

nn1,000 or more 1,150 12.8 5,900 0.4 6,480 72.5 103,190 7.7 120 1.3 150 ! # 1,220 13.7 6,820 0.5

Urbanicity 

nnCity 2,190 10.2 6,800 0.5 10,460 48.6 129,770 9.4 130 ! 0.6 ! 340 ! # 1,400 6.5 5,500 0.4

nnSuburb 1,850 7.7 6,710 0.4 11,040 46.3 122,900 7.4 60 ! 0.2 ! 60 ! # 820 3.4 3,180 0.2

nnTown 750 6.3 2,260 ! 0.4 ! 6,780 56.2 67,340 11.4 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 370 ! 3.0 ! 870 ! 0.1 !

nnRural 1,560 6.2 3,420 0.3 10,140 40.0 85,890 7.7 # # # # 1,100 4.3 4,780 ! 0.4 !

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 700 5.9 2,190 ! 0.5 ! 4,530 38.6 35,070 7.5 # # # # ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 1,000 4.8 2,990 0.3 9,120 43.6 76,530 6.8 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 490 ! 2.3 ! 2,260 ! 0.2 !

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 1,720 8.6 4,780 0.4 9,620 48.2 97,670 7.7 60 ! 0.3 ! 62 ! # 890 4.4 4,160 0.3

nn50 percent or less 2,940 9.8 9,220 0.5 15,150 50.3 196,630 10.5 130 ! 0.4 ! 340 ! # 2,110 7.0 7,720 0.4

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

Physical attack or fight was defined for respondents as an "actual and intentional touching or striking of another person against his or her will, or the intentional causing of bodily harm to an individual." 

2

Weapon was defined for respondents as "any instrument or object used with the intent to threaten, injure, or kill. This includes look-alikes if they are used to threaten others."

3

Robbery was defined for respondents as "the taking or attempting to take anything of value that is owned by another person or organization, under confrontational circumstances by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the 

victim in fear. A key difference between robbery and theft/larceny is that robbery involves a threat or battery."

4

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the 

highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, 

including K–12 schools.

NOTE: "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Detail may not sum to totals because of 

rounding. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

8

Robbery without a weapon2,3 physical attack with a weapon1,2

Student threat of 

physical attack without a weapon1,2 Robbery with a weapon2,3

Student threat of
Table 3.—Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of the distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol at school; inappropriate distribution, possession, or use of prescription drugs at school; or of vandalism at school, the 

Table 3.—number of incidents reported, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

School characteristic students

nnnAll public schools 20,320 24.6 115,900 2.4 11,680 14.1 40,700 0.9 10,010 12.1 29,300 0.6 37,940 45.8 171,500 3.6

Level2

nnPrimary 1,690 3.5 3,100 0.1 1,030 2.1 1,100 0.1 750 ! 1.5 ! 900 ! # 18,530 37.9 66,300 2.9

nnMiddle 6,820 44.7 24,600 2.6 3,010 19.7 7,200 0.8 2,870 18.8 6,400 0.7 8,470 55.5 46,200 4.9

nnHigh school 9,450 77.2 78,700 6.4 6,310 51.6 29,300 2.4 5,270 43.0 19,400 1.6 7,650 62.5 49,400 4.0

nnCombined 2,370 37.3 9,400 3.1 1,330 20.9 3,000 1.0 1,120 17.6 2,700 0.9 ! 3,290 51.9 9,700 3.3

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 2,210 11.7 6,200 1.5 1,170 6.2 2,300 0.6 960 5.1 1,600 ! 0.4 ! 6,390 33.9 18,500 4.5

nn300–499 3,780 15.0 9,400 0.9 2,180 8.7 3,500 0.3 1,390 5.5 2,600 0.2 11,010 43.7 39,200 3.8

nn500–999 7,330 24.6 27,100 1.4 3,380 11.3 10,700 0.5 3,680 12.4 8,800 0.5 14,070 47.2 57,800 3.0

nn1,000 or more 7,010 78.4 73,200 5.5 4,960 55.5 24,100 1.8 3,980 44.5 16,300 1.2 6,470 72.4 56,000 4.2

Urbanicity 

nnCity 5,990 27.8 44,200 3.2 3,210 14.9 13,700 1.0 2,220 10.3 6,700 0.5 12,230 56.9 72,300 5.3

nnSuburb 5,340 22.4 36,500 2.2 3,700 15.5 14,100 0.8 2,880 12.1 10,000 0.6 11,260 47.2 49,300 3.0

nnTown 3,080 25.5 14,700 2.5 1,540 12.8 4,800 0.8 1,490 12.3 5,000 0.8 5,390 44.7 17,800 3.0

nnRural 5,920 23.4 20,500 1.8 3,230 12.7 8,000 0.7 3,420 13.5 7,700 0.7 9,050 35.7 32,100 2.9

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 2,470 21.0 8,300 1.8 1,380 11.8 3,100 0.7 1,520 12.9 4,000 0.9 4,550 38.7 12,500 2.7

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 4,570 21.8 20,200 1.8 2,550 12.2 9,700 0.9 2,830 13.5 8,700 0.8 8,080 38.6 26,900 2.4

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 5,270 26.4 31,300 2.5 3,080 15.4 11,600 0.9 2,900 14.5 8,700 0.7 8,930 44.7 40,800 3.2

nn50 percent or less 8,020 26.6 56,100 3.0 4,670 15.5 16,400 0.9 2,770 9.2 7,800 0.4 16,390 54.4 91,300 4.9

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

1

Vandalism was defined for respondents as "the willful damage or destruction of school property including bombing, arson, graffiti, and other acts that cause property damage. This includes damage caused by computer hacking."

2

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade 

is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. 

Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

9

Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol Vandalism Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs possession, or use of prescription drugs 1

Inappropriate distribution, 
Table 4.—Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of hate crime, gang-related crime, and gang-related hate crime at school, the number of incidents reported, and the rate of incidents per 

Table 4.—1,000 students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

School characteristic students

nnnAll public schools 2,670 3.2 12,130 0.3 4,340 5.2 30,860 0.7 750 0.9 4,140 0.1

Level4

nnPrimary 920 ! 1.9 ! 3,220 ! 0.1 ! 880 1.8 3,580 ! 0.2 ! ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

nnMiddle 780 5.1 5,040 ! 0.5 ! 1,350 8.8 12,320 1.3 220 1.4 1,890 ! 0.2 !

nnHigh school 870 7.1 3,740 0.3 1,940 15.9 12,580 1.0 320 2.6 1,320 0.1

nnCombined ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 170 ! 2.7 ! ‡ ‡ # # # #

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 260 ! 1.4 ! 810 ! 0.2 ! ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

nn300–499 820 3.3 2,530 ! 0.2 ! 940 3.7 3,670 ! 0.4 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

nn500–999 860 2.9 4,540 ! 0.2 ! 1,310 4.4 10,140 0.5 250 ! 0.8 ! 1,760 ! 0.1 !

nn1,000 or more 730 8.2 4,040 ! 0.3 ! 1,840 20.6 16,230 1.2 240 2.7 1,200 ! 0.1 !

Urbanicity 

nnCity 1,090 5.1 8,230 0.6 2,190 10.2 21,590 1.6 430 ! 2.0 ! 3,290 ! 0.2 !

nnSuburb 750 3.1 1,980 0.1 1,220 5.1 6,060 0.4 220 ! 0.9 ! 540 ! #

nnTown 250 2.1 580 ! 0.1 ! 430 3.5 1,930 0.3 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

nnRural 570 ! 2.3 ! 1,340 ! 0.1 ! 510 2.0 1,270 0.1 70 ! 0.3 ! ‡ ‡

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 280 ! 2.4 ! 650 0.1 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 193 ! #

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 240 1.2 630 ! 0.1 ! 320 1.5 720 0.1 ‡ ‡ 83 ! #

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 430 2.2 1,060 0.1 960 4.8 4,300 0.3 60 ! 0.3 ! 100 ! #

nn50 percent or less 1,710 5.7 9,790 0.5 3,000 10.0 25,580 1.4 570 1.9 3,760 ! 0.2 !

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

A hate crime was defined for respondents as "a criminal offense or threat against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender's bias against a race, color, national origin, 

ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation." 

2

Includes gang-related hate crimes. 

3

Gang was defined for respondents as "an ongoing loosely organized association of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, that has a common name, signs, symbols, or colors, whose members engage, 

either individually or collectively, in violent or other forms of illegal behavior."

4

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not 

lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. 

Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Detail may not 

sum to totals because of rounding. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

Gang-related crime2,3 Hate crime1,2 Gang-related hate crime1,3

10
Table 5.—Percentage of public schools reporting selected types of disciplinary problems occurring at school daily or at least once a week, or at all, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Student harassment of

other students based Student acts of

on sexual orientation or disrespect for

Student Student sexual gender identity (i.e., Student Widespread teachers other Cult or

racial/ethnic Student harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, verbal abuse disorder than verbal Gang extremist

tensions bullying other students2 transgender, questioning) of teachers in classroom abuse activities3 group activities4 

nnnAll public schools 2.8 23.1 3.2 2.5 4.8 2.5 8.6 16.4 1.7

Level5

nnPrimary 2.1 19.6 1.8 ! 0.8 ! 3.4 1.9 ! 6.1 7.5 1.4 !

nnMiddle 5.4 38.6 6.1 6.2 6.8 4.1 13.7 29.2 1.4

nnHigh school 3.3 19.8 3.2 3.1 8.6 4.4 14.3 38.4 3.9

nnCombined ‡ 18.6 7.5 ! 6.0 ! ‡ # 4.4 ! 11.1 ‡

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 ‡ 16.5 4.5 ! 4.3 ! ‡ ‡ 3.3 ! 6.5 ‡

nn300–499 2.5 24.0 2.4 ! 1.0 5.2 2.4 9.5 11.9 ‡

nn500–999 3.0 25.3 2.6 2.4 4.3 2.6 8.3 16.4 1.3 !

nn1,000 or more 5.5 27.0 4.7 3.8 11.2 4.3 18.2 49.8 5.6

Urbanicity 

nnCity 5.3 27.0 3.6 ! 2.9 ! 9.1 4.5 11.7 28.3 2.5

nnSuburb 2.7 19.9 2.6 2.0 4.7 3.0 8.1 14.6 1.2 !

nnTown 1.0 ! 26.2 2.9 ! 2.0 3.3 ! 0.6 ! 11.6 13.9 1.7 !

nnRural 1.6 ! 21.2 3.6 2.9 1.9 ! 1.3 ! 5.0 9.1 1.6 !

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent ‡ 22.0 4.5 ! 2.7 ! ‡ ‡ 3.6 ! 1.5 0.4 !

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 1.5 21.3 1.8 ! 1.9 1.8 0.5 ! 6.1 5.8 1.8 !

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 3.2 22.3 2.6 2.6 4.5 1.1 ! 9.6 16.9 1.4

nn50 percent or less 4.3 25.2 4.1 ! 2.9 ! 8.5 5.7 11.7 29.1 2.4

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

Includes schools for which one of the following two response categories was selected: “daily” or “at least once a week.”

2

Sexual harassment was defined for respondents as "conduct that is unwelcome, sexual in nature, and denies or limits a student's ability to participate in or benefit from a school's education program. The 

conduct can be carried out by school employees, other students, and non-employee third parties. Both male and female students can be victims of sexual harassment, and the harasser and the victim can be of 

the same sex. The conduct can be verbal, nonverbal, or physical." 

3

Gang was defined for respondents as "an ongoing loosely organized association of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, that has a common name, signs, symbols, or colors, whose members

engage, either individually or collectively, in violent or other forms of illegal behavior."

4

Cult or extremist group was defined for respondents as "a group that espouses radical beliefs and practices, which may include a religious component, that are widely seen as threatening the basic values and 

cultural norms of society at large."

5

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is

not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade

12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Responses 

were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

School characteristic

Happens daily or at least once a week1 Happens at all

11
Table 6.—Percentage of public schools reporting selected types of cyberbullying problems occurring at school or away from school daily or at least once a week, by selected school characteristics: 

Table 6.—School year 2009–10

School characteristic Cyberbullying among students School environment is affected by cyberbullying Staff resources are used to deal with cyberbullying

nnn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

All public schools 7.9 4.4 3.8

Level1

Primary 1.5 0.9 ! 0.9 !

Middle 18.6 9.8 8.5

High school 17.6 9.9 8.6

Combined 12.6 7.4 ! ‡

Enrollment size 

Less than 300 4.8 3.2 ! 2.9 !

300–499 4.6 2.8 2.7

500–999 9.3 4.6 3.7

1,000 or more 19.2 10.7 9.4

Urbanicity 

City 5.7 3.8 3.6

Suburb 8.5 4.0 3.7

Town 9.6 5.8 4.1

Rural 8.4 4.5 4.0

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 12.8 7.7 4.7

More than 80 to 95 percent 10.1 5.1 4.7

More than 50 to 80 percent 6.7 3.6 3.9

50 percent or less 5.3 3.1 2.8

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the 

lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest gra 

is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: "Cyber-bullying" was defined for respondents as "occurring when willful and repeated harm is inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices." "At school" wa 

defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Responses were 

provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

12
Table 7.—Number and percentage of students in public schools involved in the use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or explosive device at school receiving various disciplinary actions, by 

Table 7.—selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

School characteristic of students of students of students of students of students of students of students of students

nnnAll public schools 2,520 5.6 8,340 18.6 17,900 40.0 15,960 35.7

Level4

nnPrimary ‡ ‡ 500 ! 3.7 ! 4,350 32.0 8,480 62.4

nnMiddle 600 4.5 3,550 26.4 6,410 47.6 2,910 21.6

nnHigh school 1,290 8.3 4,130 26.5 6,200 39.8 3,960 25.4

nnCombined 360 ! 17.6 ! ‡ ‡ 950 45.9 ‡ 29.2 !

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 350 ! 10.1 ! ‡ ‡ 780 ! 22.5 ! 2,190 63.1

nn300–499 310 ! 3.4 ! 660 ! 7.3 ! 2,860 31.6 5,220 57.7

nn500–999 600 3.7 2,980 18.4 7,640 47.1 4,990 30.8

nn1,000 or more 1,260 7.9 4,550 28.5 6,620 41.4 3,560 22.3

Urbanicity 

nnCity 1,070 6.9 3,440 22.3 6,090 39.5 4,830 31.3

nnSuburb 630 4.7 2,750 20.7 6,080 45.7 3,830 28.8

nnTown 420 ! 6.6 780 12.3 2,710 43.1 2,390 38.0

nnRural 400 ! 4.2 ! 1,370 14.1 3,020 31.2 4,900 50.6

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent ‡ ‡ 290 12.1 ! 880 36.3 1,070 44.1

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 300 ! 4.4 ! 570 8.3 2,830 41.5 3,130 45.8

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 620 5.3 2,570 21.9 4,430 37.8 4,120 35.1

nn50 percent or less 1,420 6.0 4,910 20.7 9,760 41.1 7,640 32.2

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

Firearm or explosive device was defined for respondents as "any weapon that is designed to (or may readily be converted to) expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. This includes guns, bombs, 

grenades, mines, rockets, missiles, pipe bombs, or similar devices designed to explode and capable of causing bodily harm or property damage."

2

Specialized school was defined for respondents as "a school that is specifically for students who were referred for disciplinary reasons, although the school may also have students who were referred for 

other reasons. The school may be at the same location as your school."

3

Other disciplinary actions include suspension for less than 5 days, detention, etc.

4

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest 

grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher 

than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

13

of the school year the remainder of the school year

Disciplinary actions taken for students involved in the use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or explosive device1

 at school

 specialized schools2

lasting 5 or more days, but less than 

Other disciplinary actions3

Removals without continuing services Out-of-school suspensions

for at least the remainder Transfers to
Table 8.—Percentage distribution of public schools reporting selected percentages of students with a parent or guardian who attended an open house or back-to-school night or attended regularly scheduled parent-teacher 

Table 8.—conferences, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

0–25 percent 26–50 percent 51–75 percent 76–100 percent School 0–25 percent 26–50 percent 51–75 percent 76–100 percent School

School characteristic of students of students of students of students does not offer of students of students of students of students does not offer

nnnAll public schools 4.6 13.8 30.6 49.1 1.9 6.4 17.0 23.1 50.9 2.7

Level1

nnPrimary 1.3 ! 7.0 27.9 63.2 ‡ 2.2 ! 9.8 19.0 68.3 ‡

nnMiddle 3.9 17.3 37.7 40.1 1.1 ! 8.3 23.1 30.9 33.0 4.7

nnHigh school 16.6 29.4 33.5 15.0 5.5 19.0 34.0 25.9 13.1 8.0

nnCombined 8.5 ! 26.9 29.0 28.0 7.6 ! 9.0 ! 24.8 29.9 32.3 4.0 !

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 6.4 11.1 30.4 47.7 4.4 6.6 14.6 22.0 54.2 2.7 !

nn300–499 2.8 10.9 31.4 53.9 1.1 ! 3.8 15.5 23.3 56.2 1.2 !

nn500–999 3.7 14.1 28.9 52.0 1.2 6.0 16.6 22.6 52.5 2.3

nn1,000 or more 8.9 26.3 34.7 28.7 1.3 14.0 27.4 26.3 23.4 8.9

Urbanicity 

nnCity 4.3 17.9 33.2 44.0 0.7 ! 6.6 19.9 20.5 51.4 1.6

nnSuburb 2.4 9.1 31.7 56.4 ‡ 4.0 11.8 24.4 56.3 3.5

nnTown 5.9 16.7 31.5 44.0 2.0 7.6 15.2 22.4 50.6 4.2

nnRural 6.3 13.3 27.1 49.1 4.2 7.8 20.2 24.3 45.5 2.3

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 5.8 15.9 23.0 50.8 4.5 ! 10.4 19.8 21.3 46.2 2.4 !

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 2.9 10.8 26.5 57.6 2.3 3.7 11.0 22.3 59.0 4.0

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 3.8 10.0 32.2 52.7 1.3 ! 4.0 15.0 27.4 50.7 2.8

nn50 percent or less 5.8 17.5 35.5 40.1 1.1 ! 8.2 21.3 21.4 47.2 1.9

!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.

‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error for this estimate is equal to 50 percent or more of the estimate's value.

1

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than 

grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include 

all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

who attended regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences

Percent of students with a parent or guardian 

who attended an open house or back-to-school night

Percent of students with a parent or guardian 

14
Table 9.—Percentage of public schools reporting the use of selected violence prevention program components, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Prevention Behavioral Counseling, Individual Individual Recreational,

curriculum, or behavior social work, attention, mentoring, attention, mentoring, enrichment, Student

 involvement in

resolving student 

conduct problems2

Programs to promote

a sense of community

or social integration

among students

instruction, modification psychological, tutoring, or coaching tutoring, or coaching or leisure

or training intervention or therapeutic of students of students activities

School characteristic for students1 for students activity for students by students by adults for students

nnnAll public schools 87.1 91.9 93.2 58.1 90.8 84.6 47.8 82.3

Level3

nnPrimary 90.3 94.3 93.6 55.8 91.7 84.8 46.7 84.0

nnMiddle 89.5 93.2 95.7 62.7 94.0 91.3 52.3 84.7

nnHigh school 73.1 84.6 90.1 66.4 89.7 80.3 52.5 77.6

nnCombined 83.9 83.8 90.2 49.2 78.9 75.4 36.7 73.2

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 83.7 85.1 87.6 46.6 84.7 81.3 38.7 75.1

nn300–499 89.5 95.4 94.4 57.7 92.8 84.0 49.1 83.4

nn500–999 88.9 93.4 94.7 62.3 92.2 86.6 49.0 85.4

nn1,000 or more 81.7 91.1 96.6 69.7 93.6 86.4 59.6 84.3

Urbanicity 

nnCity 88.2 94.7 94.4 64.0 94.7 90.5 54.7 86.7

nnSuburb 88.7 94.8 94.1 63.5 93.0 85.3 51.6 88.2

nnTown 87.4 94.2 94.9 56.7 89.4 81.4 40.9 78.1

nnRural 84.5 85.7 90.5 48.7 86.1 80.4 41.7 75.0

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 84.8 84.8 91.0 52.9 84.0 81.4 41.2 78.2

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 86.7 91.7 92.1 55.7 89.3 81.7 43.3 81.3

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 89.3 92.8 92.5 57.8 93.7 83.3 47.7 83.7

nn50 percent or less 86.9 94.2 95.3 62.0 92.6 88.7 53.6 83.7

2

Examples of student involvement in resolving student conduct problems provided to respondents were conflict resolution, peer mediation, and student court.

3

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is 

not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 

12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

1

The example of prevention curriculum, instruction, or training provided to respondents was social skills training.

15
Table 10.—Percentage of public schools that had a written plan for a specific crisis situation, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

The U.S. national threat level 

Chemical, biological, is changed to Red (Severe Risk

Natural Bomb threats or radiological Suicide threat of Terrorist Attack) by the 

School characteristic Shootings disasters1 Hostages or incidents threats or incidents2 or incident Department of Homeland Security Pandemic flu

nnnAll public schools 84.3 95.1 74.3 93.5 71.1 74.9 41.3 69.4

Level3

nnPrimary 80.6 95.1 72.4 92.4 69.3 69.9 42.5 67.1

nnMiddle 88.1 95.7 77.0 95.5 74.7 83.7 41.0 71.8

nnHigh school 91.4 94.6 77.4 96.5 76.8 83.1 43.7 75.6

nnCombined 89.2 94.8 76.4 91.8 65.1 77.0 28.0 69.5

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 83.3 93.3 74.2 90.4 64.9 70.1 37.8 64.9

nn300–499 81.1 96.6 72.5 94.7 70.0 74.3 42.9 72.4

nn500–999 86.0 94.6 75.2 94.0 74.2 76.0 41.5 69.2

nn1,000 or more 89.4 96.2 76.3 95.4 77.2 83.6 43.2 70.9

Urbanicity 

nnCity 81.0 93.5 71.7 92.8 68.8 74.9 44.4 68.7

nnSuburb 83.4 94.0 73.7 93.7 73.0 72.6 45.6 70.9

nnTown 86.5 98.2 77.9 96.0 73.5 76.4 36.3 69.2

nnRural 86.8 96.1 75.3 92.9 70.2 76.6 36.9 68.6

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 86.8 97.7 74.9 94.2 74.5 83.5 40.0 70.6

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 85.3 95.8 75.2 93.9 70.0 76.5 36.7 69.8

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 87.2 93.2 78.4 95.7 75.1 74.3 42.1 75.4

nn50 percent or less 80.6 94.8 70.6 91.6 68.0 70.9 44.4 64.6

2

Examples of chemical, biological, or radiological threats or incidents provided to respondents were the release of mustard gas, anthrax, smallpox, or radioactive materials.

3

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade 

is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than 

grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

1

Examples of natural disasters provided to respondents were earthquakes or tornadoes.

16
Table 11.—Percentage of public schools that drilled students on a written plan for a specific crisis situation, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Chemical, biological,

Bomb threats or radiological

School characteristic Shootings Natural disasters1 Hostages or incidents threats or incidents2

nnnAll public schools 51.9 82.3 41.4 58.6 30.7

Level3

nnPrimary 50.2 83.1 43.2 58.3 32.2

nnMiddle 56.3 84.5 41.0 59.0 28.2

nnHigh school 57.1 76.3 39.3 60.2 30.8

nnCombined 45.2 82.7 32.4 56.7 25.5

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 43.1 76.5 37.3 52.9 25.3

nn300–499 51.8 83.7 41.5 59.7 31.6

nn500–999 55.2 84.6 43.3 60.2 31.7

nn1,000 or more 60.2 82.9 43.1 62.2 36.4

Urbanicity 

nnCity 48.7 80.4 42.2 58.8 33.0

nnSuburb 58.1 82.8 42.7 60.2 36.6

nnTown 52.8 85.3 42.8 57.1 24.6

nnRural 48.5 82.0 38.7 57.6 26.3

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 50.9 81.1 36.0 56.6 33.7

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 52.2 81.0 42.1 56.5 24.3

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 53.4 83.6 44.5 61.0 32.8

nn50 percent or less 51.2 82.8 40.8 59.2 32.7

2

Examples of chemical, biological, or radiological threats or incidents provided to respondents were the release of mustard gas, anthrax, smallpox, or radioactive 

materials.

3

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined 

as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest 

grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

NOTE: Respondents were not asked if they drilled students on the following crisis situations: suicide threat or incident; the U.S. national threat level is changed to Red 

(Severe Risk of Terrorist Attack) by the Department of Homeland Security; and pandemic flu. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most 

knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

1

Examples of natural disasters provided to respondents were earthquakes or tornadoes.

17
Table 12.—Percentage of public schools reporting that their efforts to reduce or prevent crime at school were limited in a major way, a minor way, or not at all, by selected factors: School year 

Table 12.—2009–10

Efforts to reduce or prevent Efforts to reduce or prevent Efforts to reduce or prevent

Factor crime were limited in a major way crime were limited in a minor way crime were not limited at all

Lack of or inadequate teacher training in classroom management 4.7 32.9 62.4

Lack of or inadequate alternative placements or programs for disruptive

 students 21.2 38.7 40.0

Likelihood of complaints from parents 2.9 27.2 69.9

Lack of teacher support for school policies 3.3 18.2 78.5

Lack of parental support for school policies 7.5 37.1 55.4

Teachers’ fear of student retaliation 1.6 14.2 84.2

Fear of litigation 3.2 26.3 70.6

Inadequate funds 25.3 36.6 38.2

Inconsistent application of school policies by faculty or staff 7.0 37.1 55.9

Fear of district or state reprisal 1.5 14.5 84.0

Federal, state, or district policies on disciplining special education students1 15.9 37.9 46.3

Federal policies on discipline and safety other than those for special 

 education students1 4.3 28.1 67.6

State or district policies on discipline and safety other than those for special 

 education students1 4.7 27.7 67.6

1

A special education student was defined for respondents as "a child with a disability, defined as mental retardation, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, 

visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities, who 

needs special education and related services and receives these under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)."

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

18
A-1 

Appendix A: 

Standard Error Tables
This page is intentionally left blank
Table A-1.—Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of crime that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by incident 

Table A-1.—type and selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Violent incidents Serious violent incidents Theft Other incidents

Total Number Percent Number

of

incidents

Rate per Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per Number Percent

of

schools 

Number Rate per

1,000

students

Number Percent

of

schools 

Number Rate per

1,000

students

number of of 1,000 1,000 of of of of

School characteristic schools schools schools students students schools incidents schools incidents

nnnAll public schools 460 950 1.07 44,390 0.91 790 0.94 5,510 0.12 1,080 1.31 8,570 0.18 970 1.12 11,100 0.23

Level

nn

nn

nn

nn

En

nn

nn

nn

nn

Ur

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

Primary 340 860 1.63 37,320 1.64 710 1.42 3,780 0.17 900 1.82 5,680 0.25 840 1.72 6,420 0.28

Middle 100 180 1.10 19,310 2.04 230 1.46 2,360 0.25 230 1.48 4,760 0.51 210 1.25 4,400 0.47

High school 70 160 1.21 12,910 1.05 170 1.35 1,690 0.14 170 1.35 5,090 0.43 150 1.10 7,680 0.61

Combined 200 330 5.33 7,570 2.21 240 3.72 † † 390 5.79 2,940 1.00 330 4.65 3,670 1.22

rollment size 

Less than 300 400 640 3.25 17,220 4.08 400 2.11 2,100 0.51 620 3.35 3,230 0.73 580 2.97 3,280 0.87

300–499 180 590 2.34 25,110 2.44 540 2.14 3,560 0.35 640 2.52 6,320 0.62 620 2.47 5,340 0.53

500–999 100 530 1.75 35,630 1.78 420 1.42 2,420 0.12 520 1.74 5,460 0.29 540 1.80 6,650 0.34

1,000 or more 60 110 1.22 16,110 1.19 150 1.61 2,080 0.15 150 1.80 4,400 0.36 110 1.32 8,590 0.67

banicity 

City 190 470 2.12 27,430 2.11 460 2.12 2,830 0.21 590 2.70 7,030 0.53 530 2.39 9,170 0.63

Suburb 240 580 2.21 33,010 1.92 440 1.80 3,070 0.18 490 1.97 3,980 0.22 580 2.23 6,380 0.32

Town 110 360 3.14 21,190 3.36 280 2.33 1,390 0.23 400 3.22 3,310 0.52 360 2.97 3,980 0.66

Rural 300 490 1.91 15,910 1.49 380 1.51 2,920 0.26 630 2.51 4,560 0.41 650 2.62 4,490 0.42

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 980 730 3.33 20,340 3.62 320 2.52 2,090 0.44 530 3.33 2,450 0.42 700 3.65 3,820 0.56

More than 80 to 95 percent 1,080 950 2.82 15,450 1.19 290 1.29 1,490 0.13 640 2.37 4,310 0.36 780 2.19 5,010 0.37

More than 50 to 80 percent 650 610 2.14 20,960 1.76 350 1.58 3,010 0.23 540 2.45 5,450 0.42 660 2.23 5,600 0.42

50 percent or less 1,270 1,100 1.75 43,670 1.96 630 1.82 4,360 0.23 860 2.35 8,080 0.41 1,220 2.33 10,130 0.52

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-3
Table A-2.—Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools reporting student threats of physical attack and incidents of robbery that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of 

Table A-2.—incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Student threat of Student threat of 

physical attack with a weapon

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

physical attack without a weapon

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

Robbery with a weapon

of

schools

Percent

of

schools

Number

of

 incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Robbery without a weapon

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number Rate per

1,000

students

of

School characteristic

nnnAll public schools 603 0.72 2,907 0.06 1,123 1.33 22,985 0.47 45 0.05 161 † 404

i

0.49

ncidents

1,928 0.04

Level

nnPrimary 551 1.11 1,900 0.08 974 1.94 21,596 0.94 † † † † 323 0.66 1,873 0.08

nnMiddle 161 1.04 1,912 0.20 273 1.73 8,821 0.94 30 0.20 † † 114 0.74 585 0.06

nnHigh school 122 0.99 584 0.05 190 1.58 5,442 0.45 37 0.30 † † 107 0.87 786 0.06

nnCombined 88 1.38 † † 367 6.17 4,416 1.40 † † † † † † † †

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 265 1.40 291 0.07 660 3.46 10,155 2.45 † † † † 218 1.17 † †

nn300–499 380 1.51 1,941 0.19 626 2.51 14,296 1.41 † † † † 174 0.69 509 0.05

nn500–999 320 1.08 1,211 0.06 676 2.30 17,137 0.87 27 0.09 † † 199 0.67 1,206 0.06

nn1,000 or more 112 1.24 1,649 0.12 140 1.49 7,389 0.56 33 0.37 49 † 103 1.16 1,078 0.08

Urbanicity 

nnCity 366 1.69 1,782 0.13 512 2.43 10,711 0.81 41 0.19 162 † 184 0.84 882 0.07

nnSuburb 277 1.15 1,546 0.09 595 2.44 17,039 1.01 25 0.10 25 † 131 0.55 721 0.04

nnTown 188 1.57 1,065 0.18 461 3.86 9,376 1.54 † † † † 126 1.05 269 0.05

nnRural 284 1.13 853 0.08 563 2.15 7,095 0.65 † † † † 248 0.97 1,601 0.14

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 176 1.49 756 0.17 481 3.19 5,835 1.02 † † † † † † † †

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 208 0.96 843 0.07 793 3.12 10,981 0.93 † † † † 153 0.73 1,100 0.10

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 238 1.11 1,215 0.09 578 2.49 8,308 0.67 24 0.12 24 † 165 0.80 1,099 0.09

nn50 percent or less 463 1.42 2,390 0.13 847 2.10 22,027 1.00 39 0.13 161 † 286 0.90 1,331 0.07

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-4
Table A-3.—Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of the distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol at school; innappropriate distribution, possession,

Table A-3.—or use of prescription drugs at school; or of vandalism at school, the number of incidents reported, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Distribution, possession, Inappropriate distribution, 

or use of illegal drugs Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

possession, or use of prescription drugs

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Vandalism

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

students

Number

of

schools

Percent

of

schools 

Number

of

incidents

Rate per

1,000

School characteristic students

nnn

nn

nn

nn

nn

E

nn

nn

nn

nn

Ur

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

All public schools 441 0.57 4,690 0.10 420 0.50 1,790 0.04 383 0.47 1,870 0.04 936 1.12 7,260 0.15

Level

Primary 335 0.69 760 0.03 256 0.52 290 0.01 234 0.48 290 † 806 1.69 5,830 0.26

Middle 181 1.17 1,570 0.17 203 1.31 640 0.07 171 1.13 610 0.06 225 1.38 3,100 0.32

High school 182 1.51 3,620 0.29 195 1.60 1,540 0.14 198 1.64 1,520 0.12 231 1.86 4,520 0.35

Combined 280 4.47 1,600 0.55 258 4.14 720 0.24 253 4.01 770 0.27 348 5.17 1,700 0.55

nrollment size 

Less than 300 237 1.28 1,140 0.30 233 1.22 510 0.13 204 1.10 550 0.14 536 2.89 2,430 0.61

300–499 324 1.30 1,370 0.13 272 1.08 500 0.05 256 1.02 480 0.05 619 2.45 3,980 0.39

500–999 290 0.97 1,750 0.09 244 0.82 1,180 0.06 281 0.94 830 0.04 579 1.93 4,420 0.22

1,000 or more 145 1.77 3,740 0.29 147 1.64 1,550 0.12 144 1.60 1,670 0.12 164 1.80 5,030 0.39

banicity 

City 248 1.22 4,020 0.27 248 1.14 1,340 0.10 197 0.92 880 0.06 466 2.11 5,690 0.40

Suburb 204 0.83 2,020 0.10 224 0.92 1,120 0.06 184 0.79 1,220 0.07 612 2.44 3,610 0.20

Town 171 1.42 1,510 0.26 145 1.17 840 0.14 136 1.12 910 0.15 424 3.54 1,820 0.30

Rural 279 1.17 1,490 0.14 257 1.03 880 0.08 295 1.18 890 0.08 562 2.25 3,450 0.32

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 288 1.82 1,050 0.17 201 1.61 520 0.10 206 1.55 1,010 0.20 546 3.64 1,660 0.31

More than 80 to 95 percent 306 1.37 1,600 0.13 213 0.94 1,210 0.11 228 1.01 1,160 0.10 637 2.29 2,100 0.16

More than 50 to 80 percent 273 1.35 2,120 0.16 255 1.32 1,080 0.09 246 1.24 1,150 0.09 489 1.96 3,010 0.23

50 percent or less 341 1.39 3,990 0.23 305 0.92 1,450 0.08 226 0.89 870 0.05 1,020 2.43 6,600 0.34

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-5
Table A-4.—Standard errors for the number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of hate crime, gang-related crime, and gang-related hate crime at school, the number of 

Table A-4.—incidents reported, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Number

of

Percent Number Rate per Number Percent Number Rate per Number Percent Number Rate per

of of 1,000 of of of 1,000 of of of 1,000

School characteristic schools schools incidents students schools schools incidents students schools schools incidents students

nnnAll public schools 367 0.45 2,701 0.06 319 0.39 5,092 0.11 155 0.19 1,210 0.03

Level

nnPrimary 290 0.59 1,571 0.07 230 0.47 1,556 0.07 † † † †

nnMiddle 114 0.74 1,633 0.17 170 1.11 3,332 0.35 65 0.42 841 0.09

nnHigh school 100 0.81 709 0.06 143 1.17 1,958 0.16 61 0.50 327 0.03

nnCombined † † † † 79 1.24 † † † † † †

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 † † † † 79 0.42 350 0.09 † † † †

nn300–499 207 0.82 1,096 0.11 203 0.81 1,104 0.11 † † † †

nn500–999 155 0.52 1,521 0.08 182 0.61 2,880 0.15 77 0.26 796 0.04

nn1,000 or more 105 1.18 1,251 0.09 117 1.29 3,015 0.22 47 0.53 400 0.03

Urbanicity 

nnCity 212 0.98 2,444 0.18 235 1.11 4,626 0.34 135 0.62 1,216 0.09

nnSuburb 153 0.64 381 0.02 177 0.74 1,077 0.06 73 0.30 169 †

nnTown 69 0.57 196 0.03 110 0.92 544 0.09 † † † †

nnRural 192 0.76 424 0.04 102 0.40 276 0.02 34 0.13 † †

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent 88 0.72 193 0.04 † † † † † † 94 †

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 58 0.28 223 0.02 82 0.39 167 0.02 † † 41 †

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 93 0.48 267 0.02 124 0.65 718 0.06 24 0.12 51 †

nn50 percent or less 332 1.04 2,625 0.14 302 1.02 4,855 0.25 147 0.48 1,198 0.06

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

Hate crime Gang-related crime Gang-related hate crime

A-6
Table A-5.—Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting selected types of disciplinary problems occurring at school daily or at least once a week, or at all, by selected school 

Table A-5.—characteristics: School year 2009–10

Happens daily or at least once a week Happens at all

Student harassment of

other students based Student acts of

on sexual orientation or disrespect for

Student Student sexual gender identity (i.e., Student Widespread teachers other Cult or

racial/ethnic Student harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, verbal abuse disorder than verbal Gang extremist

School characteristic tensions bullying other students transgender, questioning) of teachers in classroom abuse activities group activities

nnn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

Ur

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

All public schools 0.39 1.12 0.55 0.41 0.49 0.37 0.67 0.84 0.31

Level

Primary 0.62 1.75 0.70 0.35 0.67 0.60 0.92 1.11 0.48

Middle 0.81 1.60 0.89 0.92 0.83 0.67 1.15 1.48 0.36

High school 0.56 1.41 0.58 0.55 1.00 0.80 1.27 1.50 0.48

Combined † 4.38 2.92 2.74 † † 2.05 2.89 †

Enrollment size 

Less than 300 † 2.48 1.38 1.33 † † 1.09 1.34 †

300–499 0.72 2.19 0.75 0.28 1.03 0.70 1.57 1.49 †

500–999 0.54 1.55 0.55 0.48 0.64 0.60 1.00 1.24 0.44

1,000 or more 1.10 2.12 1.01 0.82 1.37 0.96 1.64 1.72 0.95

banicity 

City 1.14 2.08 1.16 1.06 1.38 0.85 1.46 2.10 0.72

Suburb 0.61 1.96 0.69 0.42 0.92 0.77 1.10 1.16 0.41

Town 0.36 2.71 0.99 0.56 1.24 0.26 2.16 1.56 0.75

Rural 0.63 2.11 1.01 0.69 0.58 0.62 0.93 1.13 0.70

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent † 3.36 1.91 1.19 † † 1.18 0.39 0.19

More than 80 to 95 percent 0.33 1.66 0.58 0.46 0.48 0.16 1.22 0.80 0.75

More than 50 to 80 percent 0.96 1.70 0.45 0.47 1.08 0.48 1.12 1.40 0.23

50 percent or less 0.95 2.35 1.25 0.87 1.17 0.94 1.22 1.88 0.64

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-7
Table A-6.—Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting selected types of cyberbullying problems occurring at school or away from school daily or at least once a week, b 

Table A-6.—selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

School characteristic Cyberbullying among students School environment is affected by cyberbullying Staff resources are used to deal with cyberbullying

nnnAll public schools 0.5 0.3 0.4

Level

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

Ur

nn

nn

nn

nn

Pe

nn

nn

nn

nn

Primary 0.4 0.4 0.3

Middle 1.5 1.1 1.0

High school 1.1 0.8 0.8

Combined 3.3 2.6 †

Enrollment size 

Less than 300 1.2 1.0 0.9

300–499 0.7 0.6 0.6

500–999 0.6 0.6 0.6

1,000 or more 1.4 1.3 1.0

banicity 

City 0.6 0.6 0.7

Suburb 0.8 0.5 0.5

Town 1.5 1.2 1.1

Rural 1.1 0.9 0.8

rcent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 2.1 1.7 1.3

More than 80 to 95 percent 0.9 0.6 0.7

More than 50 to 80 percent 0.8 0.7 0.7

50 percent or less 0.6 0.4 0.5

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-8
Table A-7.—Standard errors for the number and percentage of students in public schools involved in the use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or explosive device at school 

Table A-7.—receiving various disciplinary actions, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Disciplinary actions taken for students involved in the use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or explosive device at school

Removals without continuing services

for at least the remainder

of the school year

Out-of-school suspensions

lasting 5 or more days, but less than 

the remainder of the school year

Transfers to

 specialized schools Other disciplinary actions

Number

of students

Percent

of students

Number

of students

Percent

of students

Number

of students

Percent

of students

Number

of students

Percent

School characteristic of students

nnnAll public schools 374 0.87 832 1.69 1,230 2.43 1,699 2.89

Level

nnPrimary † † 226 1.67 756 4.56 1,074 4.53

nnMiddle 138 1.03 521 2.62 643 2.83 348 2.32

nnHigh school 213 1.33 492 2.81 464 4.07 1,098 5.65

nnCombined 169 7.72 † † 269 10.76 † 13.90

Enrollment size 

nnLess than 300 167 5.03 † † 307 7.92 537 8.81

nn300–499 141 1.64 208 2.62 598 6.63 1,461 8.25

nn500–999 144 0.95 535 2.82 835 3.46 687 3.52

nn1,000 or more 226 1.35 511 2.52 491 2.90 520 2.49

Urbanicity 

nnCity 248 1.60 479 2.46 813 4.34 640 3.60

nnSuburb 140 1.03 451 3.18 608 3.37 610 4.04

nnTown 126 1.80 189 3.04 480 5.63 480 5.88

nnRural 160 1.76 275 2.93 380 5.51 1,262 7.87

Percent White enrollment

nnMore than 95 percent † † 85 3.80 204 4.98 315 7.68

nnMore than 80 to 95 percent 103 1.50 126 1.80 396 5.03 517 5.01

nnMore than 50 to 80 percent 185 1.48 407 2.84 546 3.57 612 4.39

nn50 percent or less 311 1.33 594 2.51 1,070 3.55 1,423 4.33

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-9
Table A-8.—Standard errors for the percentage distribution of public schools reporting selected percentages of students with a parent or guardian who attended an open house or back-to-school night or attended 

Table A-8.—regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Percent of students with a parent or guardian Percent of students with a parent or guardian 

who attended an open house or back-to-school night who attended regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences

0–25 percent 26–50 percent 51–75 percent 76–100 percent School 0–25 percent

 of students

26–50 percent

 of students

51–75 percent

 of students

76–100 percent

 of students

School

School characteristic of students of students of students of students does not offer does not offer

nnn

Level

nn

nn

nn

nn

En

nn

nn

nn

nn

Urb

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

All public schools 0.47 0.73 1.24 1.27 0.35 0.59 0.76 1.10 1.17 0.28

Primary 0.49 0.86 1.67 1.81 † 0.72 1.12 1.73 1.76 †

Middle 0.70 1.32 1.52 1.60 0.39 1.13 1.59 1.47 1.48 0.78

High school 1.37 1.46 1.79 1.35 0.88 1.48 1.51 1.80 1.21 0.98

Combined 3.50 4.79 4.86 4.49 3.30 3.11 5.23 4.89 4.75 1.82

rollment size 

Less than 300 1.43 1.92 3.18 3.52 1.19 1.84 1.99 2.71 3.83 0.94

300–499 0.58 1.33 2.59 2.53 0.48 0.80 1.51 2.27 2.22 0.39

500–999 0.63 1.40 1.82 1.65 0.30 0.64 1.14 1.33 1.72 0.40

1,000 or more 1.05 2.01 1.46 1.79 0.38 1.38 1.67 2.06 1.94 1.04

anicity 

City 0.78 2.01 2.25 2.18 0.33 1.00 1.90 2.12 2.16 0.37

Suburb 0.44 0.92 2.33 2.51 † 0.59 1.08 1.82 2.05 0.47

Town 1.07 2.27 3.13 3.31 0.57 1.48 1.86 2.64 2.86 1.10

Rural 1.13 1.52 2.12 2.60 1.09 1.06 1.62 2.19 2.65 0.63

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 1.37 2.27 3.31 4.01 1.58 1.81 2.73 3.10 4.20 0.92

More than 80 to 95 percent 0.58 1.41 2.46 2.30 0.58 0.80 1.29 2.00 2.51 0.93

More than 50 to 80 percent 0.78 1.11 2.33 2.24 0.46 0.57 1.26 2.16 2.63 0.46

50 percent or less 0.83 1.60 1.95 1.89 0.47 1.15 1.47 1.95 1.92 0.39

†Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-10
Table A-9.—Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting the use of selected violence prevention program components, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Prevention Behavioral Counseling, Individual Individual Recreational, Programs to

curriculum, or behavior social work, attention, mentoring, attention, mentoring, enrichment, Student promote a sense

instruction, modification psychological, tutoring, or coaching tutoring, or coaching or leisure involvement in of community

or training intervention or therapeutic of students of students activities resolving student or social integration

School characteristic for students for students activity for students by students by adults for students conduct problems among students

nnn

nn

nn

nn

nn

En

nn

nn

nn

nn

Urb

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

All public schools 0.87 0.78 0.81 1.54 0.70 1.06 1.39 1.12

Level

Primary 1.15 0.95 1.18 2.36 0.99 1.57 2.14 1.64

Middle 1.19 0.90 0.73 1.86 0.70 0.82 2.03 1.38

High school 1.38 1.52 1.19 1.79 1.05 1.60 1.81 1.73

Combined 3.66 4.09 3.42 5.70 4.59 4.75 5.19 5.21

rollment size 

Less than 300 2.63 2.54 2.85 3.34 2.26 2.88 3.32 2.70

300–499 1.78 1.11 1.24 2.87 1.22 1.83 2.45 1.87

500–999 1.14 0.91 0.83 2.04 0.96 1.41 1.80 1.35

1,000 or more 1.64 1.03 0.60 1.72 1.18 1.74 1.70 1.78

anicity 

City 1.80 1.09 1.12 2.42 1.22 1.79 2.48 1.87

Suburb 1.46 0.97 1.01 2.50 1.14 1.47 2.21 1.22

Town 1.54 1.15 1.40 3.51 2.30 2.65 3.29 2.91

Rural 1.85 1.75 1.69 2.59 1.70 1.97 2.79 2.30

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 2.55 2.82 2.10 3.70 2.58 3.68 3.91 2.87

More than 80 to 95 percent 1.99 1.30 1.54 2.20 1.67 1.80 2.55 2.01

More than 50 to 80 percent 1.22 1.33 1.24 2.40 1.10 1.75 2.79 2.00

50 percent or less 1.51 0.93 0.98 2.29 1.04 1.53 2.06 1.60

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-11
Table A-10.—Standard errors for the percentage of public schools that had a written plan for a specific crisis situation, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

The U.S. national threat level 

Chemical, biological, is changed to Red (Severe Risk

Natural Bomb threats or radiological Suicide threat of Terrorist Attack) by the 

School characteristic Shootings disasters Hostages or incidents threats or incidents or incident Department of Homeland Security Pandemic flu

nnnAll public schools 1.10 0.54 1.20 0.66 1.28 1.30 1.23 1.34

Level

nn

nn

nn

nn

Primary 1.68 0.82 1.78 1.04 1.78 1.88 1.95 1.96

Middle 1.06 0.94 1.37 0.78 1.98 1.21 1.88 1.45

High school 1.16 0.92 1.69 1.06 1.66 1.30 1.97 1.49

Combined 4.16 2.53 4.41 2.95 5.04 4.38 5.10 5.15

Enrollment size 

n

n

n

n

nLess than 300 2.71 1.71 2.83 1.82 3.45 3.43 3.40 3.17

n300–499 2.25 0.80 2.41 1.09 2.12 2.39 2.45 2.31

n500–999 1.33 0.87 1.49 0.89 1.59 1.58 1.56 1.58

n1,000 or more 1.53 0.86 2.09 1.13 1.94 1.68 2.06 1.70

Urbanicity 

nn

nn

nn

nn

City 2.48 1.09 2.55 1.37 2.45 2.64 2.95 2.33

Suburb 1.94 1.12 2.11 1.38 2.25 2.52 2.05 1.90

Town 2.77 0.67 3.06 1.73 3.44 3.34 3.15 3.34

Rural 2.03 1.11 2.68 1.41 2.61 2.30 2.38 2.59

Percent White enrollment

nn

nn

nn

nn

More than 95 percent 2.99 0.94 3.03 1.88 2.94 2.61 3.15 3.46

More than 80 to 95 percent 2.52 1.11 2.40 1.49 3.06 2.39 2.63 2.80

More than 50 to 80 percent 1.55 1.42 1.96 0.99 2.20 2.43 2.30 1.88

50 percent or less 2.00 0.94 2.04 1.05 2.34 2.16 2.32 2.33

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-12
Table A-11.—Standard errors for the percentage of public schools that drilled students on a written plan for a specific crisis situation, by selected school 

Table A-11.—characteristics: School year 2009–10

Chemical, biological,

Bomb threats or radiological

School characteristic Shootings Natural disasters Hostages or incidents threats or incidents

nnn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

Urb

All public schools 1.29 1.05 1.25 1.34 1.19

Level

Primary 2.17 1.60 1.85 1.99 1.83

Middle 1.61 1.16 1.45 1.65 1.70

High school 1.59 1.55 1.59 1.63 1.40

Combined 5.52 4.14 4.63 5.52 4.67

Enrollment size 

Less than 300 3.38 2.99 3.68 3.75 2.71

300–499 2.90 1.65 2.47 2.24 2.38

500–999 2.08 1.49 1.84 1.94 1.88

1,000 or more 1.89 1.77 2.09 2.24 1.92

anicity 

City 2.46 1.93 2.78 2.74 2.45

Suburb 2.51 1.57 1.95 2.66 2.40

Town 3.49 2.42 3.27 3.26 3.30

Rural 2.50 2.04 2.74 2.40 2.53

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 3.49 2.93 3.46 3.92 3.43

More than 80 to 95 percent 2.45 2.28 3.33 2.61 1.79

More than 50 to 80 percent 2.46 2.15 2.53 2.88 2.61

50 percent or less 1.82 1.60 2.27 1.97 1.97

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-13
Table A-12.—Standard errors for the percentage of public schools reporting that their efforts to reduce or prevent crime at school were limited in a major way, a minor way, or not at all, by 

Table A-12.—selected factors: School year 2009–10

Efforts to reduce or prevent Efforts to reduce or prevent Efforts to reduce or prevent

Factor crime were limited in a major way crime were limited in a minor way crime were not limited at all

Lack of or inadequate teacher training in classroom management 0.45 1.47 1.65

Lack of or inadequate alternative placements or programs for disruptive

 students 0.99 1.26 1.23

Likelihood of complaints from parents 0.40 1.29 1.31

Lack of teacher support for school policies 0.48 1.26 1.42

Lack of parental support for school policies 0.67 1.58 1.64

Teachers’ fear of student retaliation 0.31 0.91 0.96

Fear of litigation 0.44 1.18 1.23

Inadequate funds 1.08 1.27 1.36

Inconsistent application of school policies by faculty or staff 0.80 1.07 1.26

Fear of district or state reprisal 0.27 1.05 1.04

Federal, state, or district policies on disciplining special education students 0.91 1.32 1.47

Federal policies on discipline and safety other than those for special 

 education students 0.46 1.07 1.17

State or district policies on discipline and safety other than those for special

 education students 0.54 1.20 1.24

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2010.

A-14
B-1 

Appendix B: 

Methodology and Technical Notes
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B-3 

Methodology and Technical Notes

The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) is managed by the National Center for 

Education Statistics (NCES) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. SSOCS 

collects extensive crime and safety data from principals and school administrators of U.S. 

public schools. Data from this collection can be used to examine the relationship between

school characteristics and violent and serious violent crimes in primary schools, middle 

schools, high schools, and combined schools. In addition, data from SSOCS can be used 

to assess what crime prevention programs, practices, and policies are used by schools. 

SSOCS was conducted in school years 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, and 

2009–10. A sixth collection is planned for school year 2011–12. 

SSOCS was developed by NCES and is funded by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free 

Schools of the U.S. Department of Education. The 2009–10 SSOCS (SSOCS:2010) was 

conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data collection began on February 24, 2010, when 

questionnaire packets were mailed to sampled schools, and continued through June 11, 

2010. A total of 2,648 public schools submitted usable questionnaires: 684 primary 

schools, 909 middle schools, 948 high schools, and 107 combined schools. 

Sample Design

The sampling frame for SSOCS:2010 was constructed from the 2007–08 Public 

Elementary/Secondary School Universe data file of the Common Core of Data (CCD), an 

annual collection of data on all public K–12 schools and school districts. The SSOCS 

sampling frame was restricted to regular public schools in the United States and the 

District of Columbia (including charter schools). 

The objectives of the SSOCS sampling design are twofold: to obtain overall crosssectional and subgroup estimates of important indicators of school crime and safety and 

to yield precise estimates of change in these indicators between 1999–2000, 2003–04, 

2005–06, 2007–08, and 2009–10. To attain these objectives, a stratified sample of 3,476 

regular public schools was drawn for SSOCS:2010 using the same general sampling 

design as in the previous survey administrations for stratification variables, number of 

strata, method of sample allocation, and sorting of variables before selection.1

The initial goal of SSOCS:2010 was to collect data from at least 2,550 schools, taking 

anticipated nonresponse into account. Because the majority of school violence is reported 

in middle and high schools, a larger proportion of the target sample of 2,550 schools was 

allocated to middle and high schools. The target sample was allocated to the four 

instructional levels as follows: 640 primary schools, 895 middle schools, 915 high 

schools, and 100 combined schools. 

 

Three variables that have been shown to be associated with school crime were used to 

create strata in SSOCS:2010. The population of schools was stratified (i.e., grouped) into 

four school levels,2

 four locales,3,4 and four enrollment size categories.5

 

1

Adopting the same basic design for all survey administrations increases the precision of the estimates of change.

 (Chen and 

2

The four school levels are primary, middle, high school, and combined.
B-4 

Weikart 2008; Langbein and Bess 2002; Miller 2004). The sample of schools in each 

school level was allocated to each of the 16 cells formed by the cross-classification of the 

four categories of enrollment size and four locales. The sample was allocated to each 

stratum in proportion to the sum of the square roots of the total student enrollment in each 

school in that stratum. 

The effective sample size within each stratum was then inflated to account for anticipated 

nonresponse. The subgroups were sorted by region6 and percent White enrollment,

7

 and 

an initial sample of 3,476 schools was selected. For more information on the sample 

design, see the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data File User’s Manual 

(Neiman et al. 2011). 

Data Collection 

SSOCS:2010 was conducted as a mail survey with telephone follow-up. Four months 

before the onset of data collection, NCES began working with the school districts of 

sampled schools that required prior approval to participate in the survey. On February 

16–17, 2010, school administrators of sampled schools were sent advance letters that

included the date of the first questionnaire mailing and a toll-free number to call with any 

questions. 

On February 24–25, 2010, questionnaires were sent via private delivery service directly 

to the principals of the sampled schools, with a cover letter describing the importance of 

the survey and a promotional SSOCS pen. See appendix D for a copy of the 

questionnaire. 

Three weeks after the initial mailout, a reminder telephone operation began. The primary 

objective of the reminder operation was to follow up with the principal or school contact 

to determine the status of the questionnaire; however, the interviewer could complete the 

SSOCS interview over the phone at the respondent’s request. 

Returned questionnaires were examined for quality and completeness using both manual 

and computerized edits. Where necessary, telephone follow-up was used to resolve 

discrepancies or missing data identified during editing. Questionnaires that did not meet 

established completion criteria were considered incomplete and are excluded from the 

SSOCS:2010 data file. If a questionnaire that was considered to be complete at the end of 

data collection contained missing values, imputation was used to resolve the missing 

values. More detailed information about the SSOCS:2010 data collection and data 

 3

The four locales are city, suburb, town, and rural.

4

Starting with the SSOCS:2008, a 12-category urban-centric CCD locale variable was collapsed into the following four categories: 

city, suburb, town, and rural. Prior SSOCS collections used an eight-category CCD variable, which was collapsed into the following 

4 categories: city, urban fringe, town, and rural. For more information on the change in locale codes see 

http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/rural_locales.asp. 5

The four categories of enrollment size are less than 300 students, 300–499 students, 500–999 students, and 1,000 students or more. 6

The four regions are the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.

7

The four categories of percent White enrollment are more than 95 percent, more than 80 to 95 percent, more than 50 to 80 percent, 

and 50 percent or less.
B-5 

processing can be found in the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data File 

User’s Manual (Neiman et al. 2011). Data collection ended on June 11, 2010. 

Weighting 

Sample weights allow inferences to be made about the population from which the sample 

units were drawn. Because of the complex nature of the SSOCS:2010 sample design, 

weights are necessary to obtain population-based estimates, to minimize bias arising from 

differences between responding and nonresponding schools, and to calibrate the data to 

known population characteristics in a way that reduces sampling error. The procedures 

used to create the SSOCS sampling weights are described below.

An initial (base) weight was first determined within each stratum by calculating the ratio 

of the number of schools available in the sampling frame to the number of schools 

selected. Differences between respondents and nonrespondents were found in school 

level, school enrollment size, locale, percent White enrollment, number of FTE teaching 

staff, and percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, thus weighting 

adjustments were conducted using a CHAID analysis (chi-square automatic interaction 

detector). The CHAID analysis was conducted to inform the nonresponse adjustments 

that were applied to the base weights so that the weighted distribution of the responding 

schools resembled the initial distribution of the total sample (see section on nonresponse 

bias analysis). The variables which contributed to the weighting adjustment cells based 

on the results of the CHAID analysis were school level, locale, enrollment size, percent 

White enrollment, and the number of full-time equivalent teachers

The nonresponse-adjusted weights were then post-stratified and raked using school level, 

school enrollment size and school locale to agree with known population counts obtained 

from the sampling frame to reduce bias in the estimates due to undercoverage. The three

variables used have been shown to be correlated with school crime (Chen and Weikart 

2008; Langbein and Bess 2002; Miller 2004.) 

Unit Response Rates

A unit response rate is, at its most basic level, the ratio of surveys completed by eligible 

respondents to the total count of eligible respondents. Unit response rates are traditionally 

reported because they reflect the potential effects of nonsampling error and indicate 

whether portions of the population are underrepresented due to nonresponse. In order to 

calculate any of these measures, it is first necessary to know the disposition (outcome) of 

each sampled case. Table B-1 shows the dispositions of the 3,476 cases initially selected 

for participation in SSOCS:2010, as well as the unweighted and weighted unit response 

rates by selected school characteristics.8 The overall weighted9 unit response rate was 81 

percent.

 

8

While it is reasonable to assume that the ineligible rate among nonrespondents is not zero, a zero ineligibility rate was assumed when 

calculating the unweighted and weighted response rates. This is the most conservative approach. 9

The weighted response rate is calculated by applying the base sampling rates to the following ratio: completed cases / (total sample - 

known ineligibles).
B-6 

Analysis of Unit Nonresponse Bias

The existence of nonresponding schools has the potential to introduce bias into survey 

estimates, depending on the magnitude of the nonresponse and whether differences exist 

between responding and nonresponding schools in characteristics related to the estimates 

of interest. Because the NCES Statistical Standards (4-4) require analysis of nonresponse 

bias for any survey stage with a base-weighted unit response rate less than 85 percent, a

nonresponse bias analysis was conducted to evaluate the extent of this bias in 

SSOCS:2010 (U.S. Department of Education 2003). Comparisons of the sample and 

target population, respondents and nonrespondents, and relative response probability 

across frame variable categories were examined to identify potential sources of bias using 

school level, locale, region, enrollment size, percent White enrollment, student-to-teacher 

ratio, percentage of students eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch, and number of fulltime equivalent teachers as predictor variables. A CHAID analysis was also conducted to 

inform the selection of weighting classes to be used to produce nonresponse adjusted 

weights. Based on this analysis the base weights were adjusted for potential bias in 

school level, locale, enrollment size, percent White enrollment, and the number of fulltime equivalent teachers. 
B-7

Table B-1.nnnUnweighted and weighted unit response rates, by selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

Unweighted Weighted

Initial Completed Non- response response

School characteristic sample survey1 respondents2 Ineligible3 rate (percent)4 rate (percent)5

nnn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

nn

Total 3,476 2,648 779 49 77.3 80.8

Level6

Primary 863 684 168 11 80.3 81.4

Middle 1,208 909 280 19 76.5 78.0

High school 1,273 948 314 11 75.1 78.1

Combined 132 107 17 8 86.3 87.6

Enrollment size 

Less than 300 372 304 48 20 86.4 85.8

300–499 673 526 136 11 79.5 81.4

500–999 1,310 1,009 287 14 77.9 79.4

1,000 or more 1,121 809 308 4 72.4 73.0

Urbanicity 

City 1,031 703 303 25 69.9 73.0

Suburb 1,185 881 290 14 75.2 76.7

Town 455 391 59 5 86.9 87.2

Rural 805 673 127 5 84.1 88.1

Percent White enrollment

More than 95 percent 373 336 36 1 90.3 88.4

More than 80 to 95 percent 868 715 145 8 83.1 86.3

More than 50 to 80 percent 914 703 198 13 78.0 81.9

50 percent or less 1,321 894 400 27 69.1 72.9

Region

Northeast 595 444 149 2 74.9 78.3

Midwest 822 646 163 13 79.9 81.3

South 1,282 965 296 21 76.5 82.1

West 777 593 171 13 77.6 79.9

1

In SSOCS:2010, a minimum of 60 percent of the 231 subitems eligible for recontact (i.e., all subitems in the questionnaire 

except those associated with the introductory items) were required to be answered for the survey to be considered complete. 

Of the 231 subitems eligible for recontact, this includes a minimum of 80 percent of the 89 critical subitems (72 out of 89 total), 

60 percent of item 16 subitems (18 out of 30 total), 93 percent of item 23 subitems in columns 2, 3, and 4 (14 out of 15 total), 

and 60 percent of item 23 subitems in columns 1 and 5 (6 out of 10 total).

2

Nonrespondents include 80 schools whose districts denied permission to NCES and those eligible schools that either did 

not respond or responded but did not answer the minimum number of items required for the survey to be considered 

complete.

3

Ineligible schools include those that had closed, merged with another school at a new location, changed from a regular 

public school to an alternative school, or are not a school ("not a school" generarally refers to a school record for an 

organization that does not provide any classroom instruction (e.g. an office overseeing a certain type of program or offering 

tutoring services only)).

4

The unweighted response rate is calculated as the following ratio: completed cases / (total sample - known ineligibles).

5

The weighted response rate is calculated by applying the base sampling rates to the following ratio: completed cases / 

(total sample - known ineligibles).

6

Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not 

higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the 

highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than 

grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, 

including K–12 schools.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and 

Safety (SSOCS:2010).
B-8 

Although likelihood ratio comparisons of the SSOCS sample with the final-weighted 

respondent distributions identified no significant differences, the average mean relative 

bias across these variables was 0.04. When these comparisons were drawn after the 

nonresponse weight adjustments were applied, the average mean relative bias across 

these variables was reduced to 0.02. For more information on the analysis of unit 

nonresponse, please see the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data File 

User’s Manual (Neiman et al. 2011). 

Item Response Rates

Just as principals sometimes chose not to respond to the SSOCS:2010 survey request,

those that did respond occasionally chose not to answer all of the survey items. 

Unweighted item response rates are calculated by dividing the number of sampled 

schools responding to an item by the number of schools asked to respond to the item. 

Weighted10

•

•

•

item-level response rates in SSOCS:2010 were generally high, ranging from 

81 to 100 percent. Of the 231 subitems in the SSOCS questionnaire (i.e., all subitems 

except those associated with the 23 introductory items, most (213) had response rates 

greater than 95 percent, 15 had response rates between 85 and 95 percent, and 3 had 

response rates less than 85 percent. The three subitems with response rates less than 85 

percent are listed below:

C0326–Number of physical attacks or fights with a weapon

C0330–Number of physical attacks or fights without a weapon 

C0332–Number of physical attacks or fights without a weapon reported to police 

Analysis of Item Nonresponse Bias 

For each of the items with response rates below 85 percent, an item-level bias analysis 

was performed to determine the susceptibility to bias within each item by examining the 

extent to which schools that did not answer the item differed from schools that did 

answer the item. This analysis was done because differences between the schools that did 

and did not respond to an item can lead to bias in estimates. 

The magnitude of item nonresponse bias is determined by factors including the level of 

item response, the differences between item respondents and item nonrespondents on a 

survey item, and the distribution of item responses across categories of auxiliary 

variables. Based on an analysis of extreme assumptions it was determined that one item 

with a response rate below 85 percent (C0326) had little potential for nonresponse bias. 

For the other two items with response rates below 85 percent (C0330 and C0332), the 

distributions of eight sampling frame variables11

 

10Base weights were used to calculate item response rates.

were compared between the 

nonrespondents and respondents. Both items examined in this analysis were identified as 

having little potential for nonresponse bias. More detailed information on the analysis of 

item nonresponse, including the specific comparisons that were significant in the tests 

11The eight 2007–08 CCD frame variables used in this analysis are school level, enrollment size, locale, percent White enrollment, 

region, number of full-time-equivalent teachers, student-to-teacher ratio, and percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price 

lunch.
B-9 

outlined above, is available in the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data 

File User’s Manual (Neiman et al. 2011). 

Imputation Procedures

Files containing missing data can be problematic because, depending on how the missing 

data are treated, analysis of incomplete datasets may cause different users to arrive at 

different conclusions. Another problem with missing data is that certain groups of 

respondents may be more likely than others to leave some survey items unanswered, 

creating bias in the survey estimates. Completed SSOCS:2010 surveys contained some 

level of item nonresponse after the conclusion of the data collection phase, and 

imputation procedures were used to create values for all questionnaire items with missing 

information. 

The imputation methods utilized in SSOCS:2010 were tailored to the nature of the survey 

item. Three methods were used: aggregate proportions, best match, and clerical. These 

methods are described in detail in the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data 

File User’s Manual (Neiman et al. 2011). 

Sampling Variability

Estimates derived from a probability sample are subject to sampling error because only a 

small fraction of the target population is surveyed. In surveys with complex sampling 

designs, such as SSOCS:2010, estimates of standard errors that assume simple random 

sampling typically underestimate the variability in the point estimates. The standard 

errors in this report were produced using the jackknife replication method. The standard 

errors for a range of survey estimates can be computed by using a statistical package such 

as SAS, Stata, or SUDAAN. For guidance on how to produce survey estimates and their 

related standard errors using SSOCS data, please see the School Survey on Crime and 

Safety: 2009–10 Data File User’s Manual (Neiman et al. 2011). 

Statistical Tests

The tests of significance used in this analysis are based on Student’s t statistic at the .05 

level, two tailed. Adjustments for multiple comparisons were not included. The t statistic

between estimates from various subgroups presented in the tables can be computed by 

using the following formula: 

2

2

2

1

21

SESE

xx

t

+

− =

where x1 and x2 are the estimates to be compared (e.g., the means of sample members in 

two groups) and SE1 and SE2 are their corresponding standard errors. 

Due to the large sample size, many differences (no matter how substantively minor) are 

statistically significant; thus, only differences of 5 percentage points or more between 
B-10 

groups are included in the findings. Certain characteristics discussed in this report may be 

related to one another, but this analysis does not control for such possible relationships. 

Therefore, no causal relationships should be inferred from these results. 
B-11 

References

Chen, C., and Weikart, L.A. (2008). School Background, School Climate, School 

Disorder, and School Achievement: An Empirical Study of New York City’s Middle 

Schools. Journal of School Violence, 7(4): 3-20. 

Langbein, L., and Bess, R. (2002). Sports in Schools: Source of Amity or Antipathy? 

Social Science Quarterly, 83(2): 436-54. 

Miller, A.K. (2004). Violence in U.S. Public Schools: 2000 School Survey on Crime and 

Safety (NCES 2004-314 REVISED). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of 

Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.

Neiman, S., Murphy, C., Swaim, N.L., Thomas, T.L., and Parmer, R.J. (2011). School 

Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data File User’s Manual (NCES 2011-321). 

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. 

Department of Education. Washington, DC. 

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2003). NCES 

Statistical Standards (NCES 2003-601). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing 

Office.
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C-1 

Appendix C: 

Description of Variables
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C-3 

Description of Variables

Several variables from the 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2010) 

were used to produce the tables in this report. Listed first are the school characteristic, or 

row, variables that appear in all tables in this report (except table 12). These variables 

have been ordered as they appear in the tables. Listed after the school characteristics are 

the column variables for each table.

School Characteristic (Row) Variables

School Level (FR_LVEL): This variable was created using the 2007–08 Common Core of 

Data (CCD) Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe data file. Schools are 

classified as primary schools, middle schools, high schools, or combined schools, based 

on the low grade and high grade. “Primary schools” are defined as schools in which the 

lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. 

“Middle schools” are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than 

grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. “High schools” are defined as 

schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not 

higher than grade 12. “Combined schools” include all other combinations of grades not 

included in the three former categories, including K–12 schools.

Enrollment Size (FR_SIZE): The enrollment classification categories were created using 

the school enrollment data in the 2007–08 CCD Public Elementary/Secondary School 

Universe data file. The enrollment size categories are (1) less than 300 students, (2) 300–

499 students, (3) 500–999 students, and (4) 1,000 or more students. 

Urbanicity (FR_URBAN):

1

 This collapsed variable was constructed from a variable in the 

2007–08 CCD Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe data file that is composed 

of 12 categories. In order for the sample size to be large enough in each cell, and to be 

consistent with prior reports, the 12 categories were collapsed into a four-level urbanicity 

variable with the values “city,” “suburb,” “town,” and “rural,” according to the following 

criteria:

City: 

112

with a population of 250,000 or more. 

= Large: Territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city 

12 = Midsize: Territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city 

with a population less than 250,000 and greater than or equal to 100,000. 

 

1

The 12-category urbanicity variable used for SSOCS:2010 was new to the 2005–06 CCD Public Elementary/Secondary School 

Universe data file and was used for the first time in SSOCS:2008. In SSOCS administrations prior to 2008, an eight-category CCD 

variable was used to create the urbanicity variable. Caution should be exercised when making direct comparisons to SSOCS 

collections prior to 2008. For more information on the change in locale codes please see http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/rural_locales.asp. 2

The number at the beginning of each urbanicity category represents the two-digit urban-centric code assigned to the category in the 

CCD data file. 
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13 = Small: Territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city 

with a population less than 100,000. 

Suburb: 

21 = Large: Territory outside a principal city and inside an urbanized area with a 

population of 250,000 or more. 

22 = Midsize: Territory outside a principal city and inside an urbanized area with 

a population less than 250,000 and greater than or equal to 100,000. 

23 = Small: Territory outside a principal city and inside an urbanized area with a 

population less than 100,000. 

Town: 

31 = Fringe: Territory inside an urban cluster that is less than or equal to 10 miles 

from an urbanized area. 

32 = Distant: Territory inside an urban cluster that is more than 10 miles and less 

than or equal to 35 miles from an urbanized area. 

33 = Remote: Territory inside an urban cluster that is more than 35 miles from an 

urbanized area.

Rural:

41 = Fringe: Census-defined rural territory that is less than or equal to 5 miles 

from an urbanized area, as well as rural territory that is less than or equal to 2.5 

miles from an urban cluster. 

42 = Distant: Census-defined rural territory that is more than 5 miles but less than 

or equal to 25 miles from an urbanized area, as well as rural territory that is more 

than 2.5 miles but less than or equal to 10 miles from an urban cluster. 

43 = Remote: Census-defined rural territory that is more than 25 miles from an 

urbanized area and is also more than 10 miles from an urban cluster. 

Percent White Enrollment (PERCWHT): The percent White enrollment classification 

categories were created using the school enrollment data in the 2007–08 CCD Public 

Elementary/Secondary School Universe data file. The percent White enrollment size 

categories are (1) more than 95 percent, (2) more than 80 to 95 percent, (3) more than 50 

to 80 percent, and (4) 50 percent or less. 

Region (CENRGN):

3

 

3

This variable appears in table B-1 only. 

As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. This variable was created 

during sampling from the 2007–08 CCD Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe 

data file variable FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard): 1 = Northeast, 2 = 

Midwest, 3 = South, and 4 = West. For a list of states in each region, please see the 
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School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009–10 Data File User’s Manual (Neiman et al. 

2011).

Column Variables 

Table 1 

Violent Incidents Recorded (C0310, C0314, C0318, C0322, C0326, C0330, C0334, 

C0338): This information is taken directly from questions 16a_1–eii_1 in the 

SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. A total count of violent incidents recorded was obtained by 

adding the number of recorded rapes (C0310), sexual batteries other than rape (C0314), 

robberies with a weapon (C0318), robberies without a weapon (C0322), physical attacks 

or fights with a weapon (C0326), physical attacks or fights without a weapon (C0330), 

threats of physical attack with a weapon (C0334), and threats of physical attack without a 

weapon (C0338) at each school. 

Serious Violent Incidents Recorded (C0310, C0314, C0318, C0322, C0326, C0334): This 

information is taken directly from questions 16a_1–di_1 and 16ei_1 in the SSOCS:2010 

questionnaire. A total count of serious violent incidents recorded was obtained by adding 

the number of recorded rapes (C0310), sexual batteries other than rape (C0314), 

robberies with a weapon (C0318), robberies without a weapon (C0322), physical attacks 

or fights with a weapon (C0326), and threats of physical attack with a weapon (C0334) at 

each school.

Thefts Recorded (C0342): This information is taken directly from item 16f1 in the 

SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Theft/larceny (taking things worth over $10 without personal 

confrontation) was defined for respondents as “the unlawful taking of another person’s 

property without personal confrontation, threat, violence, or bodily harm. This includes 

pocket picking, stealing a purse or backpack (if left unattended or no force was used to 

take it from owner), theft from a building, theft from a motor vehicle or [of] motor 

vehicle parts or accessories, theft of a bicycle, theft from a vending machine, and all other 

types of thefts.” 

Other Incidents Recorded (C0346, C0350, C0354, C0355, C0358, C0362): A total count 

of other incidents recorded was obtained by adding the number of incidents of possession 

of a firearm or explosive device (C0346); possession of a knife or sharp object (C0350); 

distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs (C0354); inappropriate distribution, 

possession, or use of prescription drugs (C0355); distribution, possession, or use of 

alcohol (C0358); and vandalism (C0362). 

Table 2 

Threats of Physical Attack With a Weapon Recorded (C0334): This information is taken 

directly from item 16ei_1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. “Physical attack or fight” 

was defined for respondents as “an actual and intentional touching or striking of another 

person against his or her will, or the intentional causing of bodily harm to an individual.” 

“Weapon” was defined for respondents as “any instrument or object used with the intent 

to threaten, injure, or kill. This includes look-alikes if they are used to threaten others.” 
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Threats of Physical Attack Without a Weapon Recorded (C0338): This information is 

taken directly from item 16eii_1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. “Physical attack or 

fight” was defined for respondents as “an actual and intentional touching or striking of 

another person against his or her will, or the intentional causing of bodily harm to an 

individual.” “Weapon” was defined for respondents as “any instrument or object used 

with the intent to threaten, injure, or kill. This includes look-alikes if they are used to 

threaten others.” 

Robberies With a Weapon Recorded (C0318): This information is taken directly from 

item 16ci_1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. “Robbery” was defined for respondents as 

“the taking or attempting to take anything of value that is owned by another person or 

organization, under confrontational circumstances by force or threat of force or violence 

and/or by putting the victim in fear. A key difference between robbery and theft/larceny 

is that robbery involves a threat or battery.” “Weapon” was defined for respondents as 

“any instrument or object used with the intent to threaten, injure, or kill. This includes 

look-alikes if they are used to threaten others.” 

Robberies Without a Weapon Recorded (C0322): This information is taken directly from 

item 16cii_1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. “Robbery” was defined for respondents 

as “the taking or attempting to take anything of value that is owned by another person or 

organization, under confrontational circumstances by force or threat of force or violence 

and/or by putting the victim in fear. A key difference between robbery and theft/larceny 

is that robbery involves a threat or battery.” “Weapon” was defined for respondents as 

“any instrument or object used with the intent to threaten, injure, or kill. This includes 

look-alikes if they are used to threaten others.” 

Table 3 

Incidents of Distribution, Possession, or Use of Illegal Drugs Recorded (C0354): The 

count of incidents of distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs recorded is taken 

directly from item 16i1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. 

Incidents of Distribution, Possession, or Use of Alcohol Recorded (C0358): The count of 

incidents of distribution, possession, or use of alcohol recorded is taken directly from 

item 16k1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. 

Inappropriate Distribution, Possession, or Use of Prescription Drugs Recorded (C0355): 

The count of incidents of inappropriate distribution, possession, or use of prescription 

drugs recorded is taken directly from item 16j1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. 

Incidents of Vandalism Recorded (C0362): The count of incidents of vandalism recorded 

is taken directly from item 16l1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. “Vandalism” was 

defined for respondents as “the willful damage or destruction of school property 

including bombing, arson, graffiti, and other acts that cause property damage. This 

includes damage caused by computer hacking.”
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Table 4 

Hate Crime: This is a created variable which represents the sum of hate crimes as 

reported in item 17a (C0366) and gang-related hate crimes as reported in item 17c 

(C0369) in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. A “hate crime” was defined for respondents 

as “a criminal offense or threat against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in 

whole or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, color, national origin, ethnicity, 

gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.” 

Gang-Related Crime: This is a created variable which represents the sum of gang crimes 

as reported in item 17b (C0368) and gang-related hate crimes as reported in item 17c 

(C0369) in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. A “gang” was defined for respondents as “an 

ongoing loosely organized association of three or more persons, whether formal or 

informal, that has a common name, signs, symbols, or colors, whose members engage, 

either individually or collectively, in violent or other forms of illegal behavior.” 

Gang-Related Hate Crime (C0369): This information is taken directly from item 17c in

the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. A “hate crime” was defined for respondents as “a 

criminal offense or threat against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in 

whole or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, color, national origin, ethnicity, 

gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.” A “gang” was defined for respondents 

as “an ongoing loosely organized association of three or more persons, whether formal or 

informal, that has a common name, signs, symbols, or colors, whose members engage, 

either individually or collectively, in violent or other forms of illegal behavior.” 

Table 5 

Disciplinary Problems (C0374, C0376, C0378, C0379, C0380, C0382, C0384, C0386, 

C0388): This information is taken directly from items 20a–i in the SSOCS:2010 

questionnaire. Disciplinary problems include student racial/ethnic tensions (C0374), 

student bullying (C0376), student sexual harassment of other students (C0378), student 

harassment of other students based on sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e., lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) (C0379), student verbal abuse of teachers

(C0380), widespread disorder in classrooms (C0382), student acts of disrespect for 

teachers other than verbal abuse (C0384), gang activities (C0386), and cult or extremist 

group activities (C0388). 

Table 6 

Cyberbullying Problems (C0389, C0391, C0393): This information is taken directly from 

items 21a–c in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Cyberbullying problems include 

cyberbullying among students (C0389), school environment is affected by cyberbullying 

(C0391), and staff resources are used to deal with cyberbullying (C0393). 

Table 7 

Disciplinary Actions (C0470, C0472, C0474, C0476): This information is taken directly 

from items 23b2–5 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Disciplinary actions include 

removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder of the school year; 

transfers to specialized schools; out-of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days, but 
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less than the remainder of the school year; and “other” disciplinary actions (suspension 

for less than 5 days, detention, etc.). 

Table 8 

Parental Involvement in School Events (C0196, C0198): This information is taken 

directly from items 5a–b in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Respondents were asked to 

estimate the percentage of students with at least one parent or guardian who attended an 

open house or back-to-school night (C0196) or regularly scheduled parent-teacher 

conferences (C0198). A value of “1” for each of these items indicates that 0–25 percent 

of students had a parent or guardian who participated in the specified event. A value of 

“2” indicates that 26–50 percent of students had a parent or guardian who participated in 

the specified event. A value of “3” indicates that 51–75 percent of students had a parent 

or guardian who participated in the specified event. A value of “4” indicates that 76–100 

percent of students had a parent or guardian who participated in the specified event. A 

value of “5” indicates that the school does not offer the specified event. 

Table 9 

Use of Violence Prevention Program Components (C0174, C0176, C0178, C0180, 

C0181, C0182, C0184, C0186): This information is taken directly from items 3a–h in the 

SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Violence prevention program components include 

prevention curriculum, instruction, or training for students (C0174); behavioral or 

behavior modification intervention for students (C0176); counseling, social work, 

psychological, or therapeutic activity for students (C0178); individual 

attention/mentoring/tutoring/coaching of students by students (C0180); individual 

attention/mentoring/tutoring/coaching of students by adults (C0181); recreational, 

enrichment, or leisure activities for students (C0182); student involvement in resolving 

student conduct problems (C0184); and programs to promote a sense of 

community/social integration among students (C0186). Respondents were asked whether 

their schools had any of the aforementioned formal programs intended to prevent or 

reduce violence. A “yes” response to each of these items was coded with a value of “1,” 

and a “no” response was coded with a value of “2.”

Table 10 

Schools With a Written Plan for Responding to a Specific Crisis Situation (C0154, 

C0158, C0162, C0166, C0170, C0169, C0171, C0173): This information is taken directly 

from items 2a_1–h_1 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Respondents were asked if their 

school had a written plan for the following: shootings (C0154); natural disasters (C0158); 

hostages (C0162); bomb threats or incidents (C0166); chemical, biological, or 

radiological threats or incidents (C0170); suicide threats or incidents (C0169); the U.S. 

national threat level is changed to Red (Severe Risk of Terrorist Attack) by the 

Department of Homeland Security (C0171); and pandemic flu (C0173). A “yes” response 

to each of these items was coded with a value of “1,” and a “no” response was coded with 

a value of “2.”
C-9 

Table 11 

Schools That Drilled Students on a Written Plan for Responding to a Specific Crisis 

Situation (C0156, C0160, C0164, C0168, C0172): This information is taken directly from 

items 2a_2–e_2 in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. If respondents indicated that their 

school had a written plan for a specific crisis, they were subsequently asked to indicate 

whether the students at their school were drilled on the plan during school year 2009–10. 

Respondents were asked if their students had been drilled on the following: shootings 

(C0156), natural disasters (C0160), hostages (C0164), bomb threats or incidents (C0168), 

and chemical, biological, or radiological threats or incidents (C0172). A “yes” response 

to each of these items was coded with a value of “1,” and a “no” response was coded with 

a value of “2.” 

Table 12 

Limitations on Crime Prevention (C0280, C0282, C0284, C0286, C0288, C0290, C0292, 

C0294, C0296, C0298, C0300, C0302, C0304): This information is taken directly from 

items 13a–m in the SSOCS:2010 questionnaire. Respondents were asked to what extent 

the following factors limited their school’s efforts to reduce or prevent crime: lack of or 

inadequate teacher training in classroom management (C0280); lack of or inadequate 

alternative placements or programs for disruptive students (C0282); likelihood of 

complaints from parents (C0284); lack of teacher support for school policies (C0286); 

lack of parental support for school policies (C0288); teachers’ fear of student retaliation 

(C0290); fear of litigation (C0292); inadequate funds (C0294); inconsistent application of 

school policies by faculty or staff (C0296); fear of district or state reprisal (C0298); 

federal, state, or district policies on disciplining special education students (C0300); other 

federal policies on discipline and safety (C0302); and other state or district policies on 

discipline and safety (C0304). A value of “1” for any of these items indicates that the 

factor limits crime prevention in a “major way” at the respondent’s school, a value of “2” 

indicates that the factor limits crime prevention in a “minor way,” and a value of “3” 

indicates that the factor does not limit crime prevention.
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Appendix D:

2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety Questionnaire 
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