O.C. Schools Safer Than State Norm, Crime Tally Shows

Orange County schools were safer than the state’s campuses overall, according to crime statistics released Wednesday by the state Department of Education.

In the third annual California Safe Schools Assessment, a survey of crime reported by school districts statewide, Orange County districts together posted a lower crime rate than the statewide average in every category.

However, Orange County campuses reported 19% more crimes in the 1997-98 academic year than in the year before, compared to a scant 1% increase statewide. State and local officials said the rise is probably linked to better reporting, rather than actual increases in crime.

Property crimes, which include vandalism, theft, burglary, graffiti and arson, topped all categories with 3.56 incidents per 1,000 students in Orange County, up from 2.91 in 1996-97. Statewide, the rate was 4.48.

Drug and alcohol-related crimes amounted to 1.99 incidents per 1,000 students in Orange County schools, compared with a 3.56 rate statewide.

Battery, which some school officials said can mean anything from a bloody fight to a playground skirmish, was the third highest type of crime reported. The Orange County rate was 1.42 incidents per 1,000 students last year, compared with 3.0 statewide and 0.88 in Orange County the year before.

Crimes involving weapons possession rose slightly in Orange County last year to a rate of 0.67, up from 0.63 the year before.

Elsewhere, three California students died on campuses last year, the data show--in the Berkeley Unified, Merced Union High School and Norwalk-La Mirada Unified districts. Other statewide trends show that fewer guns but more knives were confiscated in public schools last year.

Despite Orange County’s low crime levels, some districts did report rates that topped statewide numbers or showed a marked increase over prior reports.

Capistrano Unified reported 3.26 incidents of drug and alcohol offenses per 1,000 students last year, up from a rate of 2.46 in 1995-96 and 1.65 in the following year.

Julie Jennings, a spokesman for the district, blamed the higher number of incidents on the district’s zero-tolerance policy, implemented in October 1997. The policy requires suspension, transfer or expulsion for students who possess, sell, or are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

In Laguna Beach, rates of drug and alcohol offenses, battery and property crimes were higher than those reported statewide.

District officials said the discrepancy highlights what they see as a shortcoming of the report: that self-reporting can make for inaccurate comparisons among districts.

“We can’t be certain if we’re all exactly doing this in the same fashion,” said Patricia Koch, an assistant superintendent at Huntington Beach Union High School District. “In any kind of activity like this, with thousands of people involved, there are going to be gradations.”

State officials said there is a uniform method to report school crime. If local administrators are unclear how or whether to report an incident, they can call the state’s toll-free number for an immediate answer, said Jean Scott, a state education department consultant. Her office also distributes a quarterly newsletter and has regional training sessions for educators twice a year that discuss school crime reporting.

“If people are tapping into any of these, then they know there is a pretty consistent method that is being used by all districts across the state,” Scott said.

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O.C. School Crime a Mixed Picture

Orange County schools not only reported far fewer crimes than those in surrounding counties, but the rate per thousand students enrolled was much lower as well.

*--*

County Total crimes Rate/1,000 Los Angeles 17,797 11.2 Orange 3,619 7.9 Riverside 4,834 16.9 San Bernardino 4,987 14.0 San Diego 5,611 12.2 Statewide 74,504 13.0

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Most of the crimes Orange County crimes reported in school year 1997/98 were committed against property. However, total crimes reported increased 19% from 1996/97, led by a huge increase in those against people. The overall crime rate per thousand enrollment jumped from 6.9 to 7.9.

1997-98 Crimes

Property: 45%

Drugs/alcohol: 25%

Person: 21%

Weapons possession: 9%

Change from 1996/97

Person: +49%

Property: +26%

Weapons: +9%

Drugs/alcohol: -4%

*

1997-98 Crime by District

Anaheim Elementary

Person crimes: 124

Property crimes: 24

Drugs/alcohol: 1

Weapons: 42

Total: 191

Rate: 9.5

Anaheim Union High

Person crimes: 27

Property crimes: 61

Drugs/alcohol: 105

Weapons: 31

Total: 224

Rate: 8.4

Brea-Olinda Unified

Person crimes: 7

Property crimes: 38

Drugs/alcohol: 3

Weapons: 0

Total: 48

Rate: 8.0

Buena Park Elementary

Person crimes: 10

Property crimes: 3

Drugs/alcohol: 4

Weapons: 7

Total: 24

Rate: 4.4

Capistrano Unified

Person crimes: 92

Property crimes: 200

Drugs/alcohol: 131

Weapons: 33

Total: 456

Rate: 11.3

Centralia Elementary

Person crimes: 1

Property crimes: 20

Drugs/alcohol: 0

Weapons: 0

Total:21

Rate: 4.1

Cypress Elementary

Person crimes: 0

Property crimes: 6

Drugs/alcohol: 0

Weapons: 1

Total: 7

Rate: 1.5

Fountain Valley Elementary

Person crimes: 3

Property crimes: 15

Drugs/alcohol: 0

Weapons: 1

Total: 19

Rate: 3.1

Fullerton Elementary

Person crimes: 3

Property crimes: 56

Drugs/alcohol: 2

Weapons: 4

Total: 65

Rate: 5.3

Fullerton Joint Union High

Person crimes: 14

Property crimes: 17

Drugs/alcohol: 90

Weapons: 8

Total: 129

Rate: 9.1

Garden Grove Unified

Person crimes: 41

Property crimes: 139

Drugs/alcohol: 58

Weapons: 22

Total: 260

Rate: 5.7

Huntington Beach City Elementary

Person crimes: 37

Property crimes: 8

Drugs/alcohol: 3

Weapons: 3

Total: 51

Rate: 8.0

Huntington Beach Union High

Person crimes: 62

Property crimes: 148

Drugs/alcohol: 124

Weapons: 26

Total: 360

Rate: 25.9

Irvine Unified

Person crimes: 37

Property crimes: 75

Drugs/alcohol: 44

Weapons: 12

Total: 168

Rate: 7.3

La Habra City Elementary

Person crimes: 1

Property crimes: 18

Drugs/alcohol: 6

Weapons: 2

Total: 27

Rate: 4.6

Laguna Beach Unified

Person crimes: 13

Property crimes: 12

Drugs/alcohol: 10

Weapons: 0

Total: 35

Rate: 13.7

Los Alamitos Unified

Person crimes: 2

Property crimes: 24

Drugs/alcohol: 18

Weapons: 3

Total: 47

Rate: 5.5

Magnolia Elementary

Person crimes: 2

Property crimes: 28

Drugs/alcohol: 1

Weapons: 2

Total: 33

Rate: 5.4

SH Newport-Mesa Unified

Person crimes: 17

Property crimes: 101

Drugs/alcohol: 22

Weapons: 7

Total: 147

Rate: 7.3

Ocean View Elementary

Person crimes: 25

Property crimes: 41

Drugs/alcohol: 3

Weapons: 3

Total: 72

Rate: 7.4

Orange County Office of Education

Person crimes: 21

Property crimes: 21

Drugs/alcohol: 1

Weapons: 0

Total: 43

Rate: 6.0

Orange Unified

Person crimes: 29

Property crimes: 40

Drugs/alcohol: 64

Weapons: 13

Total: 146

Rate: 5.0

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified

Person crimes: 81

Property crimes: 66

Drugs/alcohol: 38

Weapons: 16

Total: 201

Rate: 8.1

Saddleback Valley Unified

Person crimes: 15

Property crimes: 45

Drugs/alcohol: 71

Weapons: 18

Total: 149

Rate: 4.5

Santa Ana Unified

Person crimes: 30

Property crimes: 356

Drugs/alcohol: 65

Weapons: 35

Total: 486

Rate: 9.0

Savanna Elementary

Person crimes: 0

Property crimes: 5

Drugs/alcohol: 0

Weapons: 0

Total: 5

Rate: 2.1

Tustin Unified

Person crimes: 19

Property crimes: 43

Drugs/alcohol: 48

Weapons: 12

Total: 122

Rate: 8.0

SH Westminster Elementary

Person crimes: 57

Property crimes: 20

Drugs/alcohol: 2

Weapons: 4

Total: 83

Rate: 8.8

Notes

* Person crimes include battery, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery/extortion, sex offenses and homicide (three statewide, none in Orange County)

* Property crimes include vandalism, arson, burglary, theft and graffiti

* Bomb threats, destructive/explosive devices and loitering/trespassing not included

Source: California Department of Education