2008 Woodie Awards
Crime report reveals increase in student alcohol violations
Shane Madden
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The Department of Public Safety issued the Annual Campus Crime and Security Report on Oct. 9 in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.
The report, which provides statistics for 2006, shows an increase in on and off-campus robberies, a drastic increase in arrests related to liquor violations, as well as an increase in on-campus vehicle theft. Aggravated assualt also increased from just one on-campus assualt in 2005 to six on-campus assualts and four off-campus in 2006.
Sexual offenses decreased significantly however, from 10 on-campus and nine off-campus in 2005 to only three on-campus and three off-campus in 2006. Burglary also decreased signifcantly from 70 reported cases on-campus and 43 off-campus to 49 on-campus and 26 off-campus in 2006.
The increase in arrests due to liquor offenses is the most staggering statistic that the report provides. Arrests increased from 285 on-campus and 241 off-campus in 2005 to 399 on-campus and 338 off-campus in 2006.
While these numbers appear to be significantly higher, they are relatively comparable to the statistics for liquor offenses in 2005, Chief of Public Safety Michael Bicking said.
"There are not significantly more liquor law violations, just more arrests than judicials," Bicking said.
Robberies, which increased overall as well, had much lower numbers in this year's report. Reported on-campus robberies only increased from zero to three between 2005 and 2006.
"Two of the robbery incidents were discovered by WCU police, which also successfully prosecuted the defendants," Bicking said.
More alarming than on-campus robberies were vehicle thefts, which increased from one to six. Bicking advised that students should never leave their vehicles running, unattended or unlocked.
"While no crime is acceptable, I don't believe that WCU is unsafe," Bicking said. "Crime rates rise and fall every year."
Public Safety has attempted to encourage responsible behavior on the part of students to reduce campus crime. The tag line for crime prevention on campus changed from "How Not to Become a Victim" to "Acting Responsibly."
"New student orientation presentations on crime increased by 25 minutes," Bicking said.
The Jeanne Clery Act is named after a Lehigh University student who was raped and killed in her dorm room in 1986. The act requires that all universities issue public reports of campus crime. The act was amended in 1992 to include rights for the victims of sexual assaults.
Public Safety is also involved with Campus Safety Month, a security poster campaign, and alcohol-free alternatives.
Shane Madden is a fourth year student majoring in History with a minor in Journalism. He can be reached at SM590676@wcupa.edu.
The report, which provides statistics for 2006, shows an increase in on and off-campus robberies, a drastic increase in arrests related to liquor violations, as well as an increase in on-campus vehicle theft. Aggravated assualt also increased from just one on-campus assualt in 2005 to six on-campus assualts and four off-campus in 2006.
Sexual offenses decreased significantly however, from 10 on-campus and nine off-campus in 2005 to only three on-campus and three off-campus in 2006. Burglary also decreased signifcantly from 70 reported cases on-campus and 43 off-campus to 49 on-campus and 26 off-campus in 2006.
The increase in arrests due to liquor offenses is the most staggering statistic that the report provides. Arrests increased from 285 on-campus and 241 off-campus in 2005 to 399 on-campus and 338 off-campus in 2006.
While these numbers appear to be significantly higher, they are relatively comparable to the statistics for liquor offenses in 2005, Chief of Public Safety Michael Bicking said.
"There are not significantly more liquor law violations, just more arrests than judicials," Bicking said.
Robberies, which increased overall as well, had much lower numbers in this year's report. Reported on-campus robberies only increased from zero to three between 2005 and 2006.
"Two of the robbery incidents were discovered by WCU police, which also successfully prosecuted the defendants," Bicking said.
More alarming than on-campus robberies were vehicle thefts, which increased from one to six. Bicking advised that students should never leave their vehicles running, unattended or unlocked.
"While no crime is acceptable, I don't believe that WCU is unsafe," Bicking said. "Crime rates rise and fall every year."
Public Safety has attempted to encourage responsible behavior on the part of students to reduce campus crime. The tag line for crime prevention on campus changed from "How Not to Become a Victim" to "Acting Responsibly."
"New student orientation presentations on crime increased by 25 minutes," Bicking said.
The Jeanne Clery Act is named after a Lehigh University student who was raped and killed in her dorm room in 1986. The act requires that all universities issue public reports of campus crime. The act was amended in 1992 to include rights for the victims of sexual assaults.
Public Safety is also involved with Campus Safety Month, a security poster campaign, and alcohol-free alternatives.
Shane Madden is a fourth year student majoring in History with a minor in Journalism. He can be reached at SM590676@wcupa.edu.
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