Signal US Federal Data: School Victimization Rate Higher Than Away From School, Flat Over Decade

Summary

A U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics analysis released in September 2026, based on the National Crime Victimization Survey, found that students aged 12 to 18 reported higher rates of crime victimization at school than away from school in 2024. The overall victimization rate, including theft and nonfatal violent crimes such as robbery and aggravated and simple assault, was 27 per 1,000 students at school versus 17.7 away from school. However, the overall at-school victimization rate has not changed significantly since 2014. The survey covers crimes respondents experienced in the six months before being interviewed, with the 2024 survey covering incidents from July 2023 through November 2024. It measures victimization reported by respondents rather than crimes known to police or school officials. 'At school' is defined broadly to include crimes in school buildings, on school property, and on school buses. The data reframes the school-safety debate around a decade-long plateau in everyday violence rather than high-profile shootings alone.