CAMPUS CRIME DOWN ALREADY-SAFE SCHOOLS ADD STEPS.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Increased security and new programs aimed at resolving conflicts helped cut fighting at Castaic schools, where reports of battery dropped significantly.

Crime, already low in local schools, fell slightly on campuses valleywide, with some increases in battery and drug offenses in high schools, according to a report released Thursday by the state.

Crime was negligible in local elementary schools.

In the state Department of Education's 2000-01 Safe Schools Assessment report - designed to identify and remedy crime trends on campus, based on school reportings - the Castaic Union School District, with 3,300 students, boasted an almost 3 percent drop in battery at its middle school.

``We did take steps to address the issues,'' Castaic Superintendent Beverly Silsbee said. ``We were concerned when we got those numbers.''

After last year's battery numbers spiked, two security officers were assigned to the middle school, a sheriff's deputy visited one day a week, another deputy interacted with students during lunch and campus supervisors were added.

The school also implemented programs that teach kids to seek ways to solve problems peacefully.

This year's 2.91 criminal incidents per 1,000 students fell below the state's tally of crime in California's elementary schools and junior highs.

``We have great students this year, security on campus is up and conflict resolution programs seem to be working,'' said Chuck Habert, the school's assistant principal. ``We've got a great staff, parents, students and teachers working together, and we've made great progress.''

Reports of drug and alcohol offenses were slightly above the statewide numbers for grades K-12.

Habert said those numbers have remained steady over the years and he is not detecting an increasing trend.

``Every year there are two or three incidents of alcohol on campus,'' Habert said. ``Those numbers remain the same.''

In the William S. Hart Union High School District, with 17,000 students on 12 campuses, property crimes surpassed the state's approximately six incidences per 1,000 students.

School officials attribute the high numbers to careful reporting on the part of the district.

``I would guess it's a reporting issue,'' said Pat Willett, a Hart spokeswoman. ``We report everything - every little incident of graffiti that maybe some schools do not.''

Drug and alcohol offenses in the Hart district increased from 8.33 to 9.53 incidents this year per 1,000 students, but still fall below the state's statistics of just under 12 incidents.

``Drug use is up slightly, but compared to Los Angeles County we are very low - as we should be,'' said Hart district Superintendent Bob Lee.

With 4.77 reports of battery, assault with a deadly weapon and robbery/extortion per 1,000 students, the Hart district is in line with statewide numbers for the same crimes.

``We're very similar to comparable communities,'' Lee said.

The district will continue to keep strong records and report all incidents in an effort to identify and target criminal activities at their schools, Willett said.

``We're certainly looking at campus safety and security,'' she said.

CAPTION(S):

chart

Chart:

Here are the numbers of incidents reported by local school districts during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 school years.

SOURCE: State Department of Education