Check Crime Statistics For Your Campus


by Richard Armen - Date: 2010-08-10 - Word Count: 533 Share This!

Moving away to college is a huge step, and one that is often nerve-wracking both for parents and students. When the time comes to choose a college, you'll be looking at plenty of numbers, from GPA and SAT scores to the number of students attending the school. Although the crime rate might not be at the top of your mind when you're deciding which school to attend, maybe it should be. After all, you'll be living there for four years, and you should feel safe doing so.

For nearly two decades, the U.S. Department of Education has collected crime statistics from more than 6,000 colleges and universities nationwide. This annual report covers campus security policies and crime statistics related to the crimes happening on college campuses. This information is available through the Department of Education website and in published reports, where you can see data for any particular school, as well as combined data for all schools. For example, these statistics show that one in five women will become the victim of a sexual assault during her four years spent on campus. Overall, the staggering number of crimes committed on campus underscores the need for paying attention to campus safety.

The statistics gathered for each school include the rates of selected crimes, ranging from assault to vandalism, committed on the school campus each year. As you might expect, schools with the highest crime rates are those in large cities that themselves are known for high crime rates. Statistically, the safest colleges are located in smaller towns that have lower crime rates.

Schools keep statistics for crimes that happen on the campus itself, as well as in areas bordering the university property. The crime statistics shown in this report are broken down by offense, including major crimes such as homicide, sex offenses, hate crimes, robbery, and assault. The crime statistics also show "incidents" such as liquor law violations, drug possession, or weapons possession, which may result in disciplinary action on campus rather than an arrest by the police. In addition to the overall crime rate at the school, these statistics also show to what extent alcohol may be a problem on the campus, as the statistics show alcohol-related offenses such as DUI and minors in possession of alcohol.

So, what can you do with all of these campus crime statistics? Do they actually mean anything? You may be wondering if the time spent reading the crime report can actually make you or your son or daughter safer on the college campus. If you are concerned about safety on campus, certainly take into account the crime statistics when researching potential colleges.

However, it's also important to use your own common sense and prepare for the potential of crime. After all, as the statistics show, no college campus is 100% safe- and no city or town is, either. If you fall victim to a crime, you won't be comforted by statistics about how low the crime rate is. While college is an exciting time, it's also time to think about your safety. Carry non-lethal self defense products, such as a canister of pepper spray or a personal alarm, so that you can protect yourself and avoid becoming part of these statistics.


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