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It used to be impossible to get college crime statistics, since universities were not mandated to report campus crime to
city police. That all changed on April 5, 1986 when a 19-year-old student, Jeanne Ann Clery, was raped and murdered
in her residence hall at Lehigh University. Her killer gained access to her building by entering through a series of
propped open doors. The Clery family realized crime on campus was one of the best-kept secrets in the country and
founded an organization called Security on Campus, Inc. The Clerys lobbied the state government to make colleges
report campus crimes. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of
1990, now known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Visit the
Security on Campus website (www.securityoncampus.org) to get the scoop on what’s happening on your campus.
Q: How can I find out about crime and security on my campus?
Things you can do to keep
yourself safe at college.
Find your campus crime statistics at
www.securityoncampus.org.
Educate yourself about blue emergency
phones, escort services and other
security options available to you.
Do a search for sex offenders in your
community.
Look into renter’s insurance.
Set up a friendly “Roommate Code” with
whomever you live with.
Get valuables or expensive items
insured.
Give a copy of your class schedule and
activity meeting times to your family and
close friends.
Program emergency numbers into your
cell phone including campus police, 911,
your parent/guardian contact info and
your ICE (in case of emergency)contact.
Create a list of emergency numbers
and post them on the wall next to your
phone in your dorm or apartment.
Set some guidelines with your roommate
Most universities require R.A.’s to have residents sign roommate
agreements before the semester starts, but if not, take the
initiative to sit down with your roommate and discuss protocol
for the situations below. Write down what you collectively
agree to and sign it. Make sure each of you has a copy to refer
to if someone starts breaking the code. This should include rules
about visitors, keys and propping doors, and borrowing stuff.
Leave valuables at home or find a way to secure them
Keep in mind there are some belongings you might want to leave
behind when packing for school. While flashy items may be fun,
they are also attractive to a burglar or thief. Things like expensive
bikes, family hierlooms, and pricey electronics might be better
off left at home or in a secure off-site location. If you insist on
bringing valuables to college, have them engraved with your
driver’s license number and consider getting them insured.
Living on campus your first year has its perks
If you look at the numbers, the safest places are located on
campus. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 93% of
crimes occurred off campus. Why is this? On-campus areas tend
to have better police patrols, are more populated, have 24-hour
buildings, staffed residence halls and better lighting. Living in
a residence hall freshman year is a good idea, in order to get a
sense of your campus and community.
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