SCHOOLS' DRUGS, WEAPONS RISE 80%

DURHAM -- Durham school officials seized about 80 percent more weapons and
drugs last school year than in the previous year, according to a state
report on school crime and violence released Wednesday.

Cases of weapons possession rose from 52 in 2001-02 to 92 in 2002-03, a 77
percent jump. Only three cases involved a firearm, however, one more than
the previous year. According to Nancy Hester, chief information officer for
the Durham Public Schools, items considered to be weapons also include many
types of blades, like pocketknives and box cutters.

Possession of controlled substances, which Hester said could include
narcotics, as well as unauthorized prescription drugs, rose from 47
offenses to 86 offenses, an 83 percent jump, according to the report from
the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Those increases fueled a large overall increase in the Durham Public
Schools' reported crime and violence rate: from 4.7 incidents per 1,000
students in 2001-02 to 7.2 per 1,000 students in 2002-03.

The rates for Chapel Hill-Carrboro remained almost the same, 6.6 per 1,000
students; while the rate in the Orange County Schools fell from 12.4 per
1,000 students to 7.4 per 1,000 students.

Statewide, the rate of criminal and violent incidents fell from 7.7
incidents per 1,000 students in 2001-02 to 6.6 incidents per 1,000 students
last year, according to the report.

In its annual report, the state lists the number of offenses in 17
different categories, ranging from alcohol possession to rape. Of the 216
offenses reported in Durham last school year, 192, or 89 percent, were for
possession of weapons, drugs or alcohol.

Stepped-Up Security

Durham school officials said the increase in reported offenses reflected
stepped-up security procedures rather than an increase in school crime.

"I would not say that we had an increase in weapons or drugs on our campus
this year," said Tina Ingram, security director for the Durham Public
Schools. "I would say that we enhanced the security on our campus this year
and were more proactive in doing random searches. We're not surprised that
these two areas have increased."

School security officers used metal detectors and drug-sniffing dogs more
often last year, both during the school day and at sporting events, Ingram
said.

By turning up more weapons during searches, security officers may have
prevented serious violence, said Hester.

"Even though we are up in the overall number of incidents, we are down in
violent acts, and a lot of that is due to our metal detectors and
drug-sniffing dogs," she said.

Assaults on school personnel fell from 23 in 2001-02 to seven last year,
and assaults resulting in serious injury fell from seven to three. The
number of reported sexual assaults fell from three to two.

Schools reported six assaults involving weapons and three cases of robbery
without a dangerous weapon, after reporting none in either category the
previous year.

School officials said they did not track how many of the incidents were
gang-related.

Durham's rate of 7.2 offenses per 1,000 students put it roughly on par with
large urban districts nearby. Wake County Schools reported 7.4 offenses per
1,000 students and Guilford County Schools reported 7.3 per 1,000 students.

Other School Systems

In Chapel Hill-Carrboro city schools, 12 sexual offenses were reported in
2002-03, up from just two the year before.

The total number of criminal or violent incidents in the city schools
increased slightly -- from 65 to 69 -- between the two school years,
according to the report.

"I've kept track of this for about nine years now," said Kim Hoke, the city
schools spokeswoman. "It's a little bit lower than it was nine years ago.
It's been about the same for the past two years."

The number of violent incidents in the Orange County Schools, meanwhile,
fell from 76 in 2001-02 to 47 in 2002-03, the report said.

"Before we get about the business of educating our students, we must ensure
that they are in a safe environment," said county schools Superintendent
Shirley Carraway.

Chatham County Schools, meanwhile, had 47 violent incidents, down from 76
the year before.

But Chatham Schools Superintendent Larry Mabe said he couldn't take credit
for the decrease.

"It would be wonderful if I could say we were doing a much better job,"
Mabe said. "But what we're probably doing is just reporting it more
accurately."

Granville County Schools reported 42 total offenses, down from 65 a year
earlier. Drug possession offenses were down more than half, from 41 in
2001-02 to 19 in 2002-03. The overall rate of incidents fell from 7.9 per
1,000 students to 5 per 1,000 students.

Reports in Person County Schools rose slightly, from 25 to 27, for a rate
of 4.7 incidents per 1,000 students, the report said.