Workplace Violence

Dangerous Occupations

Workplace Violence

About two million people in the U.S. are victims of violent crime in the workplace every year, according to a US Department of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Study taken between 1992-1996. The occupations examined included those that prior studies have deemed to be more vulnerable to criminal victimization.

The rate of violence per 1,000 workers during the five-year period studied was as follows:

Occupation	Rate	Victims
Law Enforcement Officers	306	234,000
Prison or Jail Corrections Officers	218	58,300
Taxi Drivers	184	16,100
Private Security Guards	117	71,100
Bartenders	91	26,400
Mental Health Professionals	80	50,300
Gas Station Attendants	79	15,500
Convenience or Liquor Store Clerks	68	61,500
Mental Health Custodial Workers	63	8,700
Junior High/Middle School Teachers	57	47,300
Bus Drivers	45	17,200
Special Education Teachers	41	9,000
High School Teachers	29	33,300
Elementary School Teachers	16	35,400
College or University Instructors	3	6,600

Workplace Homicide

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, homicide was the second leading cause of death in the workplace following highway fatalities. Workplace murders accounted for 1 of every 6 fatal occupational injuries. Firearms were used to commit more than 80% of all workplace homicides. By far, white males between the ages of 25 and 44 were the victims of workplace homicides occurring as a result of an armed robbery in a late-night retail setting.

During the same period an average of 330,000 retail employees were victimized annually. Late-night retail establishments by far had the highest rate of violence. Of the 107,854 annual business robberies, 67,144 occurred in commercial houses, 28,090 in convenience stores, and 12,621 in gas stations. More than one offender (43%) committed commercial robberies in contrast with other forms of workplace violence that only involved one offender (84.7%).

Strangers committed the majority of the workplace violence (59.6%) and most victims were men (66%). Most of the violent offenders were male (82.9%), white (58.4%), and over 21 years of age (76.4%).

Public law enforcement and private security guards experienced the most workplace assaults each year with an estimate of 327,000 simple assaults and 100,000 aggravated assaults.

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