A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE: January 19, 2001	Contact:         Jane Glickman (202) 401-1307 Stephanie Babyak (202) 401-2311

COLLEGE STUDENTS SAFER ON CAMPUS THAN ELSEWHERE

College campuses have fewer crimes reported than surrounding communities and the nation as a whole, according to a report to Congress released today by the U.S. Education Department. The report analyzes crime data reported by some 6,300 postsecondary institutions for 1997, 1998 and 1999.

"This report gives us a national perspective on campus safety and serves as a benchmark for parents and students to compare security at individual colleges and universities," said U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.

In 1999, only 19 percent of crimes reported by institutions occurred on-campus, compared to 73 percent that occurred on public property. About one-third of all crimes committed on-campus occurred in residence halls.

Burglary is the most frequently reported crime with a total of 26,035 burglaries reported in 1999. However, the rate of burglaries on campus is significantly lower than in the general population, with 156 burglaries per 100,000 students compared to 770 per person nationally. Motor vehicle theft is the second most frequently reported crime on college campuses, with 6,201 motor vehicles stolen in 1999, a two percent increase from 1998.

By law, colleges and universities are required to collect campus crime statistics and distribute an annual security report to current students and employees and, on request, to prospective students. Beginning this year, schools must report that data to the Department.

Postsecondary institutions are expected to report all incidences of criminal homicide, manslaughter, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson. Institutions must also report hate crimes.

The data represent alleged criminal offenses reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies, not necessarily prosecutions or convictions.

The statistics must also include arrests for illegal weapons possession and liquor and drug law violations, as well as referrals for campus disciplinary action for these violations. Nationwide, there has been a 17 percent increase in the number of arrests that occur on campus for criminal offenses from 31,358 in 1997 to 37,732 in 1999. Arrests for liquor law violations increased 20 percent, while arrests for drug abuse violations increased 12 percent. (Drug violations include violations of state and local laws governing unlawful possession, sale and use of narcotic drugs. Alcohol violations, as required by statute, include violations of laws prohibiting manufacture, sale and possession of liquor but do not include drunkenness, underage drinking and driving under the influence).

An important change under the 1998 Higher Education Amendments broadened the locations to be reported in the 1999 statistics to include off-campus property and public property adjacent to property owned or operated by the school for educational purposes.

"I am so pleased that every postsecondary school and college complied with the requirements to provide their crime statistics for this first year of reporting to the department," Riley said. "It is my hope that improved reporting will contribute to greater awareness of security issues on campus, and the need to provide students a safe environment in which to live and learn."

The report, "The Incidence of Crime on the Campuses of U.S. Postsecondary Education Institutions," and individual crime statistics for colleges are available online at http://ope.ed.gov/security.