Metal detectors, bookbag searches and policemen have become part of the routine for Hillcrest High students in Dallas

From Correspondent Charles Zewe

DALLAS (CNN) -- Despite five high-profile school shootings in eight months, students are much more likely to be shot outside of school, according to a new study.

A study by the Washington, D.C.-based Justice Policy Institute found that school shootings have not increased since 1992 and that schools are still far safer places than homes.

"Ninety-nine percent of the time a kid is killed in America, it is outside of a school," said Vincent Schiraldi, a co-author of the study.

According to the study, children are 23 times more likely to be killed in a gun accident than at school.

The high-profile shootings in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Mississippi, Kentucky and Arkansas left 16 people dead and 43 wounded.

But the study argues that the high-profile media coverage created a distorted view of violent schools.

"Media coverage of these dramatic killings has created a misperception that schools are dangerous," Schiraldi said.

Many schools like Hillcrest High School in Dallas have increased security following the shootings. Metal detectors and bag searches are now a part of the morning routine for Hillcrest students.

"It could hit us at any time, too," said Donovan Collins, security chief for Dallas schools. "No matter where it is, it's still in your backyard."

School police keep a watchful eye on students, hoping to spot those that appear to be troubled.

"I'm going to confront that student. I'm going to pull them aside ... any small thing can escalate into a big thing," said school security specialist Charlotte Lewis.

But the Justice Policy Institute study argues that juvenile violence doesn't happen everywhere. Eighty-five percent of all the communities in America recorded no juvenile homicides in 1995, and 93.4 percent recorded one or no juvenile arrests for murder, according to the study.

Also, three times as many juvenile homicide victims are killed by adults as by other juveniles, and only about 3 percent of U.S. murders consist of a person under 18 killing another person under 18, the study reported.

To combat gun deaths in children and teen-agers, the study pushes for gun control and supervised activities for youths.

"If we want to reduce the overall number of childhood gun deaths, we should be expanding afterschool programs and restricting gun sales," Schiraldi said.