Violent crime rising at U.S. schools

Some schools use metal detectors to check for weapons

April 12, 1998
Web posted at: 9:42 p.m. EDT (0142 GMT)

From White House Correspondent John King

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A government survey of 10,000 students ages 12 to 19 shows that while the overall crime rate at U.S. schools is relatively stable, violent crime is on the rise.

The study by the Education and Justice departments compared data from 1989 and 1995. Among the new findings:

• 15 percent of students say they are crime victims and 4 percent say the offenses involved violence.
  
  
• The percentage of students reporting gangs at school nearly doubled to 28 percent.
  
  
• 13 percent say they know students who bring guns to school along with their books.
  
  
• 65 percent say they can buy drugs at school.

Interactive Map Recent shootings at U.S. schools Statistics School shootings: High profile, but rare Related Stories Violent crime rising at U.S. schools Counselors help youngsters deal with horrific memories Message Board Do you fear violence in our schools?

"They're dealing with the pressure every day in making decisions about drugs," said Steve Dnistrian of the Partnership For A Drug-Free America. "They're seeing drugs in their schools and in their neighborhoods."

The report immediately became ammunition for White House efforts to get Congress to spend billions more on juvenile crime and other programs.

"Let's stop arguing about it, let's pass the president's plan ... more prosecutors, more after-school programs," said Bruce Reed, White House domestic policy adviser. "We can't sit by and watch these trends continue."

But critics of the Clinton administration say it is already a federal offense for a juvenile to carry a gun to school, and that the balanced budget agreement increased spending on the Safe and Drug-Free School Act.

"To think that if the federal government will just pass three more laws and somehow that's going to give us more peace and more hope for our young people is such an unrealistic view," said Rep. John Kasich, R-Ohio. "It's not the answer."

White House aides acknowledge that parents are far more important than politicians when it comes to fighting crime. But the White House says more prosecutors and recreation programs would help.

Related stories:

• Grieving Jonesboro brothers seek juvenile law change - March 30, 1998
• Parents of shooting suspect among those asking 'why?' - March 27, 1998
• School shootings have high profile but occur infrequently - March 25, 1998
• Violence against U.S. kids is common - March 25, 1998

Related sites:

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• United States Department of Justice Home Page
• U.S. Department of Education (ED) Home Page
• Partnership For A Drug-Free America

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