Correlates of Violent and Nonviolent Victimization in a Sample of Public High School Students

Summary

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This study investigates the extent to which student reports of violent and nonviolent victimization in public high schools is associated the presence of hate-related words or symbols, the availability of hard and soft drugs, and the presence of gangs. Data from the 1999 School Crime Supplement of the National Crime Victimization Survey were used for this analysis. In the final multinomial logistic regression model, the presence of hate-related words, the availability of hard drugs, and a gang presence were significantly associated with reports of violent victimization. The availability of soft drugs was significantly associated with nonviolent victimization. Findings held across gender, race/ethnicity, and urbanicity of the school's location with younger students more likely to be both violently and nonviolently victimized than older students. Implications for primary and secondary interventions aimed at school climate and the reduction of correlates of victimization are discussed.

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Correlates of Violent and Nonviolent Victimization in a Sample of Public High School Students

Rates of adolescent crime and victimization, both at and away from school, have declined in recent years. However, adolescents still remain at increased risk for victimization when compared to other age groups (Rennison, 2001) and the likelihood of adolescents experiencing some type of victimization prior to advancing to adulthood remains high (Menard, 2002; Van Dorn & Williams, 2003). Furthermore, victimization at school, including victimization resulting from physical fights, bullying, and theft, remains high (Astor, Varga, O'Neal-Pitner, & Meyer, 1999). Although recent incidents of serious and sometimes lethal school violence have heightened public awareness of victimization at schools, much work remains before schools can actively foster a safe environment for students.

Inadequate amounts of research have been conducted on the relationship between hate speech, either through the use of hate words directed specifically towards someone or the use of graffiti to express symbols of hate, and its relationship to school-based victimization. While there is a long history of empirical research regarding the deleterious impacts of drugs and gangs, surprisingly little empirical research has been conducted on these two factors and their relationship to school-based victimization (cf. Laub & Lauretisen, 1998; Lowry et al., 1999).

This article attempts to provide that link by examining the effect of hate-related words and symbols in schools, in addition to the availability of drugs and the presence of gangs in hopes of better understanding the impact of all three factors in relation to violent and nonviolent school-based victimization. Using students as the unit of analysis, hypothesized correlates of violent and nonviolent victimization are examined while controlling for relevant covariates in order to identify potential leverage points to decrease school-based victimization.

PREVALENCE OF SCHOOL-BASED VICTIMIZATION

Though rates of school victimization have stabilized since 199...

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