When people think of children and safety, their thoughts almost always turn to horrific tragedies like the school shootings at Sandy Hook. Such events, people reason, are proof-positive that the world is rapidly becoming an increasingly dangerous place for children. It’s welcome news, then, to lean that according to researchers at the University of New Hampshire, life is safer for children than ever before.

“This study confirms what we have noticed from a variety of other sources that children’s safety has improved since 2003,” said David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.

Comparing 50 types of violence involving children, researchers found that 27 of them actually decreased between 2003 and 2011, which notably includes the recent recession. Recessions, due to their crippling economic effects, are typically thought to increase crime and violence. For whatever reason, the usual stress and dislocation associated with recessions wasn’t as significant with the most recent one.

The study shows that crime and violence involving children was down across the board, regardless of race and socioeconomic status. Even in low-income neighborhoods (which endure disproportionately high rates of violence and crime) experienced a decline. In general, violence across the U.S. has decreased similarly since the 1990s, but researchers aren’t sure if that’s the explanation.

Theories as to why this is the case abound. Some researchers point to medical care (many more children were taking psychiatric meds than in 2011), as well as educational and “anti-bullying” campaigns. Still others suggest that it may be due in part to simple technology: If a child is more likely to have a cell phone, that’s an additional way to get help when threatened. They also note that because of the rise in social media use, the risky behavior associated with adolescence may take place online rather than in the real world.

Though the study is uplifting, there is much work still to be done: Children are still victimized at higher rates than adults, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Some children in this country also witness violence on a daily basis, which can have long-term psychological consequences.

The full study appears in JAMA Pediatrics.