Apryl Mock
Managing editor
Every year by April 1 campus police releases a Clery Report. This report lists crimes committed on campus as well as some of the crimes within approximately a mile radius; according to campus police chief Stacy Ballew.
The SE campus police are in compliance with The Jeanne Clery Act. President George Bush passed this act in 1990.
This act requires all colleges and universities that accept federal funding to provide an annual report to inform members of the campus community about crimes committed on campus property or “unobstructed public areas immediately adjacent to or running through the campus, and certain non-campus facilities including Greek housing and remote classrooms”, according to the U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security Reporting Handbook.
Reports must be obtained from campus police and other school officials who have “significant responsibility for student and campus activities.” According to the U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security Reporting Handbook.
Ballew said that although he makes a diligent effort to obtain crime statistics from local law enforcement about areas surrounding campus, they are not required to respond.
Taking this in to consideration it is possible that crimes reported for public property are not accurate.
The following list of the statistics is of the crimes with a significant change. Concerning crimes committed in campus buildings, the number of larcenies in 2011 was 6, in 2011 the number was 0 and in 2012 the number was 5. Vandalism was at 1 in 2010 and 2011, and jumped to 5 in 2012.
Crimes reported in the resident halls showed that in 2010, 12 burglaries were reported, in 2011, 3 were reported and in 2012 the number was back up to 12. Liquor law violations with a referral were 2 in 2010, 1 in 2011 and 16 in 2012.Drug law violations were 4 in both 2010 and 2011 and up to 7 in 2012.
In regards to crimes reported on campus property, there were no forcible sex offences in 2010 or 2011 and 1 in 2012. There were no accounts of aggravated assault or burglary in 2010 and 2011 and two occurrences of both aggravated assault and burglary in 2012. Liquor law violations where the accused was arrested numbered 2 in 2012, 7 in 2011 and 0 in 2012.
All crimes reported on public property were reported as all 0 in 2010 and 2011. Aggravated assault was reported as 6 in 2012. Liquor law violations in which an arrest was made were reported as 4 and Larceny was reported as 9.
Though it may seem that there is a possible correlation between the year and number of crimes, Ballew said it was completely random. Ballew said,“2011 was just a quiet year. We were surprised at how quiet it was.”
To see the full Clery Report for SE, visit http://homepages.se.edu/public-safety/clery-reports/crime-statistics/.