News (Media Awareness Project) - US NC: Crime And Violence Down In Pitt County Schools |
| Title: | US NC: Crime And Violence Down In Pitt County Schools |
| Published On: | 2001-11-02 |
| Source: | Daily Reflector (NC) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-25 05:39:38 |
CRIME AND VIOLENCE DOWN IN PITT COUNTY SCHOOLS
While the number of reported incidents of crime and violence in North Carolina's public schools has increased over the last school year, the number of violent incidents in Pitt County schools has decreased.
According to the state's Report on School Crime and Violence, the number of reported incidents totaled 7,586 or 6.276 acts per 1,000 students in the 2000-01 school year. That's up from 7,229 incidents, or 5.980 acts per 1,000 students in 1999-2000, the report stated.
Pitt County schools experienced 127 violent incidents during the 2000-01 school year, a decrease of 19 from 1999-2000.
The offenses range from assault on peers and officials to weapons and controlled substance possession, rape, robbery and kidnapping.
Although the statewide number of reported incidents increased over the past year, those numbers are down from five years ago. During the 1996-97 school year, 8,141 incidents were reported.
The numbers reflect the ratio of students being apprehended or stopped before committing an offense, and that may be why numbers in the state have increased, Barry Gaskins said, public information director for Pitt County Schools.
"We are encouraged that we are seeing clean reductions each year, and hopefully, numbers will continue to decline," Gaskins said. "We hope that our schools continue to be a safe haven for teaching and learning." Deputy Susan Johnson, a school resource officer at D.H. Conley, said that in the past four years of working at the high school, she has seen a decrease in violent acts.
"I have seen a change," Johnson said. "The number of fights have gone down. The drugs have gone down. We aren't catching as many people using."
Three acts - possession of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance and assault on school personnel - combined to account for 88 percent of all state reportable acts.
Weapons possession increased 4 percent on the state level this year, up to 2,831 incidents. A total of 56 of the reported weapons incidents occurred in Pitt County, a drop from 67 in 1999-2000.
Possession of a controlled substance increased 12 percent to 2,809 incidents across the state. Students in Pitt County contributed to the increase. More than a dozen additional students were caught with drugs in 2000-01 than in 1999-2000.
Assaults on school personnel decreased 3 percent, totaling 1,063 incidents. Pitt County had a decrease of 15 incidents, from 20 offenses in 1999-2000 to 5 in 2000-01.
Three crimes - possession of a weapon, assault with serious injury, and sexual assault - increased this year after exhibiting decreases in 1999-2000. Assault with serious injury was up 4 percent to 278 incidents, while sexual assault increased 7 percent to 204 incidents.
Two crimes that increased last year - assault with a weapon, and sexual offense - decreased in 2000-01. Assault with a weapon decreased 14 percent to 133 incidents, while sexual offenses decreased 12 percent to 93 reports.
There were no reports of an assault with a weapon, and there was one reported sexual offense in Pitt County.
One rape and two kidnappings were reported in the state, but there were no reports of homicide, the report stated. Pitt County didn't have any reported rapes, kidnappings or homicides last year or the year before.
Elementary schools reported the largest overall increase - 12.5 percent - in reported crimes. High schools increased 5.5 percent, while middle schools reported a 1.9 percent increase.
A total of 744 students and 1,066 school staffers were victims of school crime or violent acts in 2000-01, the report stated.
More than 7,900 students, including general population and those considered "exceptional," were reported as offenders. Most of the incidents were serious enough to report to local law enforcement. The most common punishment was suspension from school for 10 days or less.
"Our schools are still the safest place that many of our children are at during the course of a day," Gaskins said. "Unfortunately, the violence in our schools reflects the communities we live in and the outside influences our children are exposed to."
While the number of reported incidents of crime and violence in North Carolina's public schools has increased over the last school year, the number of violent incidents in Pitt County schools has decreased.
According to the state's Report on School Crime and Violence, the number of reported incidents totaled 7,586 or 6.276 acts per 1,000 students in the 2000-01 school year. That's up from 7,229 incidents, or 5.980 acts per 1,000 students in 1999-2000, the report stated.
Pitt County schools experienced 127 violent incidents during the 2000-01 school year, a decrease of 19 from 1999-2000.
The offenses range from assault on peers and officials to weapons and controlled substance possession, rape, robbery and kidnapping.
Although the statewide number of reported incidents increased over the past year, those numbers are down from five years ago. During the 1996-97 school year, 8,141 incidents were reported.
The numbers reflect the ratio of students being apprehended or stopped before committing an offense, and that may be why numbers in the state have increased, Barry Gaskins said, public information director for Pitt County Schools.
"We are encouraged that we are seeing clean reductions each year, and hopefully, numbers will continue to decline," Gaskins said. "We hope that our schools continue to be a safe haven for teaching and learning." Deputy Susan Johnson, a school resource officer at D.H. Conley, said that in the past four years of working at the high school, she has seen a decrease in violent acts.
"I have seen a change," Johnson said. "The number of fights have gone down. The drugs have gone down. We aren't catching as many people using."
Three acts - possession of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance and assault on school personnel - combined to account for 88 percent of all state reportable acts.
Weapons possession increased 4 percent on the state level this year, up to 2,831 incidents. A total of 56 of the reported weapons incidents occurred in Pitt County, a drop from 67 in 1999-2000.
Possession of a controlled substance increased 12 percent to 2,809 incidents across the state. Students in Pitt County contributed to the increase. More than a dozen additional students were caught with drugs in 2000-01 than in 1999-2000.
Assaults on school personnel decreased 3 percent, totaling 1,063 incidents. Pitt County had a decrease of 15 incidents, from 20 offenses in 1999-2000 to 5 in 2000-01.
Three crimes - possession of a weapon, assault with serious injury, and sexual assault - increased this year after exhibiting decreases in 1999-2000. Assault with serious injury was up 4 percent to 278 incidents, while sexual assault increased 7 percent to 204 incidents.
Two crimes that increased last year - assault with a weapon, and sexual offense - decreased in 2000-01. Assault with a weapon decreased 14 percent to 133 incidents, while sexual offenses decreased 12 percent to 93 reports.
There were no reports of an assault with a weapon, and there was one reported sexual offense in Pitt County.
One rape and two kidnappings were reported in the state, but there were no reports of homicide, the report stated. Pitt County didn't have any reported rapes, kidnappings or homicides last year or the year before.
Elementary schools reported the largest overall increase - 12.5 percent - in reported crimes. High schools increased 5.5 percent, while middle schools reported a 1.9 percent increase.
A total of 744 students and 1,066 school staffers were victims of school crime or violent acts in 2000-01, the report stated.
More than 7,900 students, including general population and those considered "exceptional," were reported as offenders. Most of the incidents were serious enough to report to local law enforcement. The most common punishment was suspension from school for 10 days or less.
"Our schools are still the safest place that many of our children are at during the course of a day," Gaskins said. "Unfortunately, the violence in our schools reflects the communities we live in and the outside influences our children are exposed to."
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