College Campus Crime Statistics

Many teenagers go off to college every year, and sadly, some of them become victims of crimes on college campuses. Some crimes like aggravated assault, burglary, and theft are quite common. In 2007, Luther College had 2 aggravated assaults on campus. That same year, Brookhaven College had 2 burglaries but 21 incidents of theft on campus while Marietta College had 42 incidents of burglary!

Sexual assaults are one of the most common campus crimes. One in four college women report being sexually assaulted at some point. The University of Arizona had 11 assaults and 41 incidents of theft in 2006.

To a certain extent, it’s also a college’s responsibility to ensure the safety of its students. Check and see if your college runs any kind of background checks, employment background checks, and criminal background checks on its workers and if it employs security personnel.

When you’re on campus, you have to be independent and vigilant:

• Always walk in well-defined areas where there are other people.
• Avoid walking alone and stay on lit paths.
• Always have your keys ready so you don’t spend time searching through your bag to find them.
• When you are inside your dorm, you still need to use caution. Only allow people you know into your dorm, especially if you’re alone.
• Use locks and deadbolts all the time.
• Don’t give out your room key as you have no idea where it will end up and who will have copies by the time it gets back to you.
• Never leave windows open or unlocked .
• Don’t leave any kind of personal information in common areas to avoid identity theft.

Always remember that you aren’t in your parents’ house so you have to be extra careful. Here are some helpful resources:

• Campus Security Data : This is a great place to check on crime data for college campuses.
• Department of Education : Links to tables of data categorized by crime, where the crime occurred, and other information.
• Security On Campus : Offers tips and information about campus security.
• Department of Education : Offers data about common campus crimes.
• College Crime Watch : An organization devoted to reducing crime on college campuses.
• Centenary College Crime Log : An example of what is common in college campuses. Offers downloadable crime logs arranged by school year so prospective students can read them.
• Campus Safety Tips : A list of safety tips for college students.
• IACLEA : The International Associated of Law Enforcement Administration has a long list of questions college students should be asking when choosing a college.
• College Student Safety : Provides lots of tips about safety in college; specifically, about alarm systems and other security measures.
• National Crime Prevention Council : Has a specific section about safety on college campuses.
• Collegeview Interview : An informative interview with a safety expert.

If you’re smart and use your judgment, you can definitely avoid being the victim of a college campus crime.