School Shootings

Violence in schools is a complex problem whose causes are difficult to pinpoint. Statistics gathered on school violence do not follow the norms of society as a whole. A National Crime Victimization Survey compiled and maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice, shows that overall crime rates in U.S. society have fallen. Simultaneously, school-based studies reveal that many violent behaviors have increased among children and adolescents ("Causes of School Violence").

Public schools reporting violent incidents increased from 71 to 81% over a recent five-year period according to a joint study by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice. Furthermore, that same study found that the percentage of students who reported gang presence at school increased from 21% to 24%. Although no direct connection between gang activity and school violence has been established gang activity in neighborhoods and schools often coincides with increased violence reports....
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