Abstract
The current study examines whether racial gaps in victimization risk for serious violence and simple assault are lower in schools than non-school based contexts, controlling for poverty and social guardianship. Building on the concept of "guardianship" from the lifestyles-routine activities theory and using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (1999-2019), we find that racial differences in serious violent victimization away from school were entirely explained through poverty status, family structure, and residential stability. In contrast, White youth were at higher risk of simple assault relative to youth of color regardless of location. While both poverty and social guardianship were associated with simple assault victimization, they did not minimize differences across racial and ethnic groups, and in some cases, enhanced disparities. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.