Pubdate: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 Source: Charlotte Observer (NC) Copyright: 2006 The Charlotte Observer Contact: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/78 Author: Amy Rainey REPORTS OF CRIME RISE ON GASTON CAMPUSES But Gaston, Lincoln Stay Comparatively Low Reported crimes in Gaston County Schools more than doubled from 2004-05 to 2005-06, according a new state report on school violence. Despite this increase, Gaston County's crime rate is low compared to school districts across the state. Lincoln County Schools' crime rate is also far lower than the state rate of 7.9 crimes per 1,000 students. Lincoln County Schools' rate, 3.5, was among the lowest in the state. Among school districts with 20,000 or more students, Gaston County had the lowest rate -- 4.9. With just a few hundred students less than Gaston, Union County had a rate of 8.4, for example. School districts have different policies on which crimes they must report, leading to skepticism of the report. But in Gaston and Lincoln, school officials say that principals are required to report these crimes to the central office, which compiles the data annually for the state. Principals that falsify reports or try to hide crimes could be fired, said Jim Watson, Lincoln County Schools superintendent. Rise since 2003-04 The number of crimes in Gaston County Schools has steadily increased since the 2003-04 school year, when the system reported 37 incidents. There were 67 incidents in 2004-05, and 156 incidents were reported in 2005-06. The total student enrollment only increased by about 400 students during that time period though.An increased crime rate could mean there are more crimes being committed in schools, but it could also signify that schools are doing a better job catching these crimes, officials say. About half of last year's incidents involved possession of a controlled substance. There is a police officer posted in every Gaston County high school and middle school, something that Gaston County Police Capt. Bill Melton said leads to more instances of finding drugs on campus. He also attributes the higher numbers to anonymous tips from students and random metal detector searches during school and at events. There were no serious violent crimes reported in Gaston County schools. There were five reported instances of possession of firearms last school year. Two of the firearms, Melton said, were found during a random search at North Gaston High. Students had gone hunting and left the guns in the car, he said. The 34 instances of possession of a weapon typically involved pocket knives, schools spokeswoman Bonnie Reidy said. There were 24 reported assaults on school personnel, though none resulted in serious injury, according to the data. These assaults are typically not directed at the personnel, said Ashbrook High School Principal Page Carver. Often a staff member is breaking up a fight and ends up getting hit or knocked into, she said. Ashbrook High School and Mount Holly Middle School had the highest number of crimes, most involving possession of a controlled substance. Most of the possession incidents involved small amounts of marijuana. But Carver said she thinks many students are also abusing prescription drugs. Carver said she thinks the system's low crime rate probably indicates that students are refraining from bringing drugs onto campus, though she think they're using, she said. Carver was surprised that Ashbrook had one of the highest crime rates among Gaston schools. But last year, Ashbrook had a police officer posted in the school who was formerly an undercover vice officer. He trained the school's staff. "It's vigilance," she said. "You've got to work hard, but we by no means catch all of it." Decrease in Lincoln Lincoln County Schools had relatively few instances of crime -- 41 -- last school year, a decrease from the previous year's 56. Watson said he hopes the decrease in crime, combined with consistent safety plans, mean the school system is on the right track. Like Gaston, most of Lincoln County's incidents related to drug and alcohol possession. There are resource officers in all of Lincoln County's high schools. Watson said he would like to add officers at middle schools with the hope of sparking dialogue and preventing future crimes. "Unfortunately, sometimes at the high school level it's more intervention than prevention," he said. School Crime GASTON COUNTY SCHOOLS Here is the breakdown of the 156 criminal acts reported last school year: 82 -- Possession of a controlled substance. 34 -- Possession of a weapon. 24 -- Assaults on school personnel. 8 -- Possession of an alcohol beverage. 5 -- Possession of a firearm. 3 -- Bomb threats. LINCOLN COUNTY SCHOOLS Here is the breakdown of the 41 criminal acts reported last school year: 18 -- Possession of alcoholic beverage. 15 -- Possession of a controlled substance. 4 -- Possession of a weapon. 3 -- Bomb threats. 1 -- Burning of school building. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek