Less violence, drugs reported in NJ schools

A new state Education Department report finds New Jersey public schools became safer last year, with less violence and substance abuse.

The annual report released Tuesday finds a continuing trend of fewer reported major behavioral problems at schools.

There were 19,000 total reported incidents of violence, weapons, substance abuse, vandalism and bullying in the 2013-14 school year, down 9 percent from the previous year.

There were 1,000 reports of weapons on campus during the year but just six of them involved guns. The overwhelming majority were knives, razor blades and other bladed instruments.

The report also found that the most common substance abuse problem was the use of marijuana at school.