NCJ Number
208086
Journal
Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2004 Pages: 391-417
Date Published
December 2004
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether college campus crime prevention initiatives based on the situational perspective are effective at reducing serious offending on campus.
Abstract
College and university campuses across the country have been slow to address crime problems, despite increased public concerns about campus safety. Situational crime prevention strategies are attractive to those who are responsible for maintaining safe environments because of their versatility. Situational crime prevention incorporates aspects of rational choice theory, environmental criminology, and routine activities theories, into effective crime prevention strategies that can reduce the opportunities for victimization. The current study involved a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) survey of 581 4-year college and university campuses with at least 2,500 students during 1995. Dependent variables included measures of crime rates, while independent variables included the characteristics of the institutions, campus safety personnel recruitment and training, campus safety department structure and functions, and crime prevention strategies. Results of regression analyses indicated, first, that the most predictive factors influencing campus crime rates are the size of the institution and the professionalism of the campus public safety department. Results of regression models that examined specific crime prevention activities revealed that the strategies were insignificant in reducing total, violent, or property crimes on campuses. The author concludes that since campus crime prevention strategies were implemented in response to high crime rates, it is reasonable to believe that situational strategies can only benefit college campuses in terms of improved safety. Tables, appendixes, references