Teens & Safety Survey Results
Special report on teens & safety
Katie Couric on the lessons of Columbine
One school's solutions to violence
William Pollack on ifour sons are natural-born killers
Tipper Gore and USA WEEKEND's Teen Panel tackle tough topics
Full Teens & Safety Survey results by question
Teens, we want to hear from YOU
5 students chosen for special honors
Back to Teens Index and survey results
Where on the Web: School Safety

1. Do you, personally, feel safe from violence in school?
Yes 71%
No 29%

2. Rank your biggest concerns about school (percentage saying it was his/her top concern; some chose more than one):
My grades 64%
My friends/social life 19%
My safety 18%
Peer pressure 7%

3. How would you grade the overall safety of your school?

4. If you felt safer, would you:
Be happier in general? 77%
Learn more? 55%

5. In the past year at school, have you ...
Seen schoolmates getting picked on? 91%
Seen schoolmates argue loudly? 85%
Seen schoolmates physically fighting? 74%
Been threatened physically? 29%
Been hit, not in fun? 25%
Been sexually harassed? 19%
Been robbed of something worth more than $10? 18%
Been in a physical fight? 14%

6. How do you usually deal with anger?
Talk to a friend 38%
Try not to think about it 23%
Engage in physical activity, such as sports 11%
Talk to a parent or other adult 10%
Argue with the person making me angry 9%
Write in a journal 7%
Get into physical fights with others 2%

7. Do any kids regularly carry weapons in your school?
Yes 11%
No 35%
I don't know 54%

8. Does your school use ...
Random locker searches 46%
Security guards 34%
Security cameras 27%
Metal detectors 5%

9. What would be the single best thing your school could do to make you feel safer?
Send "bad" kids to alternative schools 40%
"Conflict-resolution" classes 22%
Metal detectors at all doors 20%
More security guards or hall monitors 18%

10. What are the most common causes of problems at your school? (Multiple answers allowed.)
Stupid things (e.g., bumping into someone, looking at someone wrong) 75%
Girlfriend/boyfriend conflict 45%
Drugs or alcohol 30%
Expensive clothing/belongings 23%
Race/ethnicity 21%
Outsiders starting trouble 19%
Gangs (in school) 16%

11. Name as many cliques at your school as you can.
(Answers varied.)

12. Are there any cliques that get picked on?
Yes 67%
No 33%

13. Have you ever visited a bomb-making or hate Web site?
Yes 8%
No 91%

14. Which, if any, of these media do you think promote violence among teens? (Multiple answers allowed.)
Movies 56%
Video games 50%
Internet 45%
TV shows 44%
Music 43%
News coverage 34%

15. How long do you think it would take for a teen in your community to get a gun?
A few hours 30%
A day 11%
At least a few days 11%
They aren't available 3%
I have no idea 45%

16. Is there a gun in your home?
Yes 45%
No 47%
I don't know 8%

16a. If yes, can you gain access to it?
Yes 58%
No 42%

17. How did you feel about last spring's Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, Colo.? (Choose one.)
It made me think, but it didn't make me feel afraid. 48%
Ever since, I've been afraid for my own safety at school. 21%
It made me afraid for my safety at school then, but not now. 20%
It didn't affect me personally. 11%

18. How likely do you think it is that a major violent incident could occur at your school?
Very likely 14%
Somewhat likely 50%
Not at all likely 36%

19. When you are your parents' age, do you think the world will be ...
Not as safe 53%
The same 30%
Safer 17%

129,593 students in grades 6-12 participated in USA WEEKEND's latest Teen Survey. Here's what they said.

National Respondents :
Male, 33%.
Female, 67%.
White, 79%. Black, 8%. Hispanic, 5%. Asian, 1%. Multiracial, 4%. Other ,3%. School V Urban, 21%. Suburban, 31%. Rural or small-town, 48%.
Public, 92%. Private, 8%.