NCJ Number
171903
Date Published
1997
Length
102 pages
Annotation
A survey of public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit postsecondary education institutions that take part in Federal Title IV financial aid programs was conducted in the spring of 1996 to gather information on campus crime and security at these institutions.
Abstract
The survey collected information from institutions about campus crime statistics for 1992, 1993, and 1994; from annual security reports compiled by institutions; and from a review of campus security procedures and programs. Results revealed that about one-fourth of the institutions reported violent crimes on campus in each of the 3 years. For 1994, less than 0.5 percent reported a murder on campus, 9 percent reported incidents of forcible sex offenses, 12 percent reported robbery, and 18 percent reported aggravated assault. About two-fifths of the institutions reported the property crimes of burglary and motor vehicle theft in each of the 3 years; these were the only property crimes the institutions must report under Federal law. Public 4-year institutions, institutions with campus housing, and larger institutions were more likely to report occurrences of both violent and property crime than were other types of institutions, those without campus housing, and smaller institutions. Institutions reported a total of about 10,000 violent crimes and almost 40,000 property crimes each year. About 10 percent of the institutions reported on-campus arrests for liquor law violations, drug law offenses, and weapons possessions in each of the 3 years. The percentage of institutions offering various campus safety services or programs varied by institutional type and size, as well as the presence of campus housing. Between half and two-thirds of the institutions had increased lighting in various locations within the last 5 years. Tables; footnotes; and appended definitions, tables, and instrument