Carrying a Weapon to School: The Roles of Bullying Victimization and Perceived Safety

Abstract

A key issue regarding bullying victimization is its link to future violence. This analysis examines one key manifestation of this violence, carrying a weapon, and how perceptions of school safety may mediate these effects. Using a national probability sample of U.S. middle and high school students, we find that the effects of victimization on weapon carrying are mediated by students’ perceptions of school safety. Additionally, the indirect effects differ by gender. Perceived school safety is reduced by victimization to a greater extent for boys, and school safety has a weaker effect on the likelihood of carrying a weapon for boys.