Fighting To and From School—NYC Youth Violence Survey

In a recent survey conducted by the New York City Department of Education, it was revealed that over half of the citys high school students have experienced violence while traveling to and from school. The survey, which was conducted among more than 5,000 students in grades 612, found that 56 percent of the respondents reported having been the victim of some form of violence while traveling to and from school. The survey found that the most common form of violence experienced by students was verbal harassment, with 43 percent of students reporting that they had been verbally harassed. Other forms of violence experienced included physical assault (17 percent), threats of physical assault (13 percent), and sexual harassment (7 percent). The survey also revealed that students were more likely to experience violence in certain areas of the city. Students in the Bronx and Manhattan were more likely to report experiencing violence than students in other boroughs. Additionally, students in lowincome neighborhoods were more likely to report experiencing violence than students in higherincome neighborhoods. The survey results have prompted the New York City Department of Education to take steps to reduce violence among students. The department is working with local law enforcement to increase police presence in areas where students are more likely to experience violence. The department is also working with community organizations to provide students with resources and support to help them stay safe. The survey results are a reminder that violence is a serious issue for students in New York City and that more needs to be done to ensure their safety. It is essential that students feel safe and secure when traveling to and from school, and the New York City Department of Education is taking steps to ensure that they do.
1. During the past 12 months‚ while going to or from school‚ how many times were you in a physical fight?
a. 0 times
b. 1 time
c. 2 or 3 times
d. 4 or 5 times
e. 6 or 7 times
f. 8 or 9 times
g. 10 or 11 times
h. 12 or more times
2. Where did most of the fights occur?
a. I did not fight going to or from school during the past 12 months
b. Housing project
c. Subway
d. Playground
e. Street
f. Other
3. Who did you fight with most often?
a. I did not fight going to or from school during the past 12 months
b. A stranger
c. A friend or someone I know
d. A boyfriend‚ girlfriend‚ or date
e. A group of youths (gang or posse members)
f. Other
4. During the past 12 months‚ while going to or from school‚ how many times were you in a physical fight in which you were injured and had to be treated by a doctor or nurse?
a. 0 times
b. 1 time
c. 2 or 3 times
d. 4 or 5 times
e. 6 or 7 times
f. 8 or 9 times
g. 10 or 11 times
h. 12 or more times)
 
These items measure frequency of physical fighting while going to and from school..
 
·         Violence and Bullying
·         Delinquency and Antisocial Behavior
 
This instrument can be found on pages 175-176 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at:http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf .
National population sample of students in grades 9-12.
 
Individual items can be scored by assigning point values to correspond to response categories. For items with a range‚ a midpoint value can also be assigned. Incidence rates for items 1 and 4‚ and standard errors forthese estimates are calculated as follows:
Incidence Rate = Σ(i=1 to n) PiCi
Standard Error = √(ΣCi^2(Var(Pi))
P = the proportion of subjects
i = (1‚2‚3….n) levels of the variable of interest
C = frequency of behavior
Incidence Rate = the proportion of subjects with the behavior of interest (Pi) multiplied by the frequency of that behavior (Ci)‚ or use a midpoint if there is a range.
Standard Error = the square root of the sum of the frequency of the behavior squared (Ci^2) multiplied by the variance of each proportion (Var(Pi)).
Example: Incidence Rate of Physical Fighting Among White Females
i = 1‚2‚3‚4‚5‚6‚7 (1 time‚ 2.5 times‚ 4.5 times‚ 6.5 times‚ 8.5 times‚ 10.5 times‚ 12+ times)
j = 1‚2‚3 (White‚ Black‚ Hispanic)
k = 1‚2 (Female‚ Male)
For white females (j=1‚k=1) the incidence rate can be designated as IRjk or IR11 and calculated as follows:
IR11 = Σ(i=1 to 7)Pi11Ci
 

Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)‚ Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. New York City Youth Violence Survey. Atlanta‚ GA: Centers for Disease Control andPrevention‚ 1993.

 
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