Youth Violence Facts 

Bullying

In a 2011 nationally-representative sample of youth in grades 9-12:

•  20.1% reported being bullied on school property in the 12 months preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among females (22.0%) than males (18.2%).
• 16.2% reported being bullied electronically (email, chat room, website, texting) in the 12 months preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among females (22.1%) than males (10.8%)

Violence-related Behaviors

• In a 2011 nationally-representative sample of youth in grades 9-12 32.8% reported being in a physical fight in the 12 months preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among males (40.7%) than females (24.4%).
• 16.6% reported carrying a weapon (gun, knife or club) on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among males (25.9%) than females (6.8%).
• 5.1% reported carrying a gun on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among males (8.6%) than females (1.4%).

Juvenile Arrests

• Juveniles (<18 years) accounted for 13.7% of all violent crime arrests and 22.5% of all property crime arrests in 2010
•  In 2010, 784 juveniles (< 18 years) were arrested for murder, 2,198 for forcible rape, and 35,001 for aggravated assault

School-associated Violent Deaths

• During the 2009-2010 school year, 17 homicides of school-age youth ages 5 to 18 years occurred at school.
• Approximately 1% of all youth homicides in 2008-2009 occurred at school, and the percentage of all youth homicides occurring at school has been less than 2% since the 1992-1993 school year.
• There was approximately one homicide or suicide of a school-age youth at school per 2.7 million students enrolled during the 2009-2010 school year