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Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2007
NCES 2008-021
December 2007

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Table 19.2.

Percentage of public schools that took a serious disciplinary action and number of serious actions taken, by type of offense: Various school years, 1999-2000, 2003-04, and 2005-06


  Percent of schools   Number of serious
disciplinary actions
Type of offense 1999–2000 2003–04 2005–06   1999–2000 2003–04 2005–06
               
Total 54.0 45.7 48.0   1,162,600 655,700 830,700
               
Physical attacks or fights 35.4 32.0 31.5   332,500 273,500 323,900
Insubordination 18.3 21.6 21.2   253,500 220,400 309,000
Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol 9.2 10.2   25,500 30,100
Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs 21.2 20.8   91,100 106,800
Use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm1 16.8 19.3   35,400 46,600
Use or possession of a firearm or explosive device 3.9 4.5   9,900! 14,300
! Interpret data with caution.
1 The questionnaire wording changed to "use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm/explosive device" in 2006.
NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. Serious disciplinary actions include removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder of the school year, transfers to specialized schools for disciplinary reasons, and out-of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days, but less than the remainder of the school year. Respondents were instructed to respond only for those times that were during normal school hours or when school activities or events were in session, unless the survey specified otherwise. Population sizes of public schools are 82,000 in 1999–2000, 80,500 in 2003–04, and 83,200 in 2005–06. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Estimates of number of actions are rounded to the nearest 100.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1999–2000, 2003–04, and 2005–06 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2000, 2004, and 2006.