Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Crime on Campus

  • By Deb Moore
  • 05/15/16

On May 4th the 18th edition of Indicators of School Crime and Safety, a joint publication of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) was released. The report is compiled from a number of statistical data sources supported by the federal government and provides us with the most recent data available.  While improvement was seen on some fronts, ground was lost on others where increases of 100 percent or more were seen.

Criminal Incidents: In 2013, there were 27,600 criminal incidents on campuses at postsecondary institutions that were reported to police and security agencies, representing an 8 percent decrease from 2012.

Residence Halls: In 2013, more on-campus crimes overall were reported at institutions with residence halls than at institutions without residence halls – 24.2 vs. 6.2 per 10,000 students.  For example, more burglaries were reported at institutions with residence halls than at institutions without residence halls (13.9 vs. 2.9 per 10,000 students), and more forcible sex offenses were reported at institutions with residence halls than at institutions without them (4.6 vs. 0.5 per 10,000 students).

Drug Law Violations:  The number of disciplinary referrals for drug law violations reported by postsecondary institutions increased between 2001 and 2013 from 23,900 to 54,100 – a 127 percent increase.  Arrests for drug law violations increased by 70 percent, from 11,900 in 2001 to 20,100 in 2013.

Liquor Law Violations: The number of disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations increased from 130,000 in 2001 to 190,900 in 2013 – a 47 percent increase.  The number of arrests for liquor law violations in 2013 (26,600) was lower than in any year between 2001 and 2012.

Weapons Possession: The number of disciplinary referrals for illegal weapons possession was lower in 2013 (1,400) than in 2006 (1,900), but it was higher than the number of such referrals in 2001 (1,300). The number of arrests for illegal weapons possession reported by postsecondary institutions was 3 percent lower in 2013 than in 2001 (1,000 vs. 1,100).

Sex Crimes: Between 2001 and 2013, the number of reported forcible sex crimes on campus increased from 2,200 in 2001 to 5,000 in 2013 – a 126 percent increase.  (Also of Note:  A 2015 study conducted by the Association of American Universities shows that when it comes to crimes of sexual assault or sexual misconduct only 28% or less of the most serious incidents are reported to and organization or agency.)

To find out more go to http://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/index.asp.

Featured

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • Rowan University, HPE Partner on New Learning Initiative

    Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., recently announced that it has expanded its partnership with enterprise technology provider HPE to improve research capabilities and hands-on learning opportunities, according to a news release.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.