Violent crime at TN schools increases

TBI report does not include college campuses July 1. 2010 TENNESSEE Overall school crime dropped statewide in 2009, but violent crime continued a slow, upward climb. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its school crimes report Wednesday, detailing violent, property and drug crimes on primary and secondary school campuses. Crime on school grounds dropped a little more than 2 percent in 2009 when compared with 2008, the report said. But last year also saw double-digit increases in forcible rapes, fondling and stalking cases. Rapes rose from 20 in 2007 to 35 in 2009, fondling cases went from 225 to 276 and stalking cases went from 18 to 33 during that three-year period. Violent crimes have risen just over 2 percent since 2007, the report showed. "The largest percentage increase being stalking and rape,'' said Kristin Helm, spokeswoman for the TBI. "However, simple assault still makes up the largest percent of crimes against persons occurring at schools.'' According to the report, simple assaults were up statewide by almost 4 percent. The report does not include college or university campuses. —BRIAN HAAS THE TENNESSEAN