The Victim-Offender Overlap and Fear of In-School Victimization

Abstract

Reports of serious violence in schools have raised general awareness and concern about safety in America’s schools. In this article, the authors examine the extent to which in-school victimization is associated with students’ perceived risk and fear of victimization. By expanding on Ferraro’s risk assessment framework, the current study explores the etiology of fear of in-school victimization using longitudinal data from 1,450 youth between the ages of 10 and 16. Along with prior literature, current findings suggest that victimization and fear are empirically distinct. By focusing educational material on the social determinates of victimization, school administrators may be able to simultaneously reduce fear among youth least likely to be victimized and instill a realistic level of fear among students most at-risk of future victimization.