College students are vulnerable to campus crimes. Many students leave the security of their homes and hometown and expect the campus to be as safe. Students also begin to feel more independence and may push boundaries, which may include illegal activities.
Crime on campus can include incidences like underage drinking to murder. This article will explore the top reported crimes on college campuses during 2005-2007. The statistics are gathered from the website College Crime Statistics Online.
Liquor Law Violations and Drug Incidences on Campus
By far the highest crime rate on college campuses is underage drinking. All states have a minimum drinking age of 21; therefore, any person under that age is in violation of the liquor law.
Most college students attend parties for the social aspect; however, most parties include alcohol. Many college students are 21 or older, so accessibility of alcohol is common. Many older college students will hold alcohol parties to raise funds for tuition, books, or rent.
Liquor law violations can also include open bottles of alcohol in public and alcohol in dorm rooms. Over 150,000 incidences of liquor law violations arrests and 600,000 disciplinary action were reported on college campuses from 2005-2007.
Additionally, colleges also have higher rates of drug use. In the three year data collection, over 70,000 arrests were made for drug violations on college campuses.
Burglary on Campus
In the three years of data, acts of burglary accounted for more than 100,000 incidences. Burglary is the act of stealing another’s property without using a weapon. Popular items stolen on college campuses are laptops, bikes, cell phones, iPods, cash, and wallets/purses.
Burglary is often committed when students leave personal items unattended. Areas prone to theft are libraries, unlocked dorm rooms, and classrooms. Theft can be committed by students or people outside of the campus. Stealing these types of items previously mentioned afford the criminal to obtain fast cash.
Other Types of Crime on Campus
Another type of crime on campus is motor vehicle theft. Student can be careless and leave keys unattended at their dorm or apartment/house. Students attending college in colder climates may leave keys in their car to warm up the vehicle, which then provides thieves ample opportunity to steal the vehicle. Around 20,000 car thefts were reported on campuses during 2005-2007.
Other crimes on campus include:
- Assault
- Murder
- Arson
- Forcible and Non-Forcible Sex Offenses
- Drug Arrests
- Illegal Weapons
College is a wonderful opportunity to experience an awakening in education and social interactions. Unfortunately, poor decisions and vulnerability can lead to arrests or victimization. For further information on campus and crime, consider reading the article Crime on Campus.
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