Getting into college is a cheerful occasion, but college campus safety statistics are something to keep in mind. Often, many young adults feel that leaving home gives them more freedom to behave however they want, which can cause many issues.
While burglaries are the most common problem among students, alcoholism, sexual assaults, scams, drug abuse, campus shootings, and cyberbullying are also common occurrences.
With the arrival of COVID-19, many students also worry about their health. They want to remain safe once they’re back on college grounds. Yet, most of them fear their peers might not follow the safety guidelines.
College Campus Crime Statistics (Editor’s Choice)
- Over 50% of college students consumed alcohol in the previous month
- The cost of illegal Adderall is $5–$7 per pill
- Over 75% of hate crime in college derives from religion, race, or sexual orientation
- 13% of all students face rape or sexual assault
- 22 out of 1,000 students are affected by property crime
- Over 85% of campus law enforcement officials are authorized to make an arrest
- People aged 18–24 are three times more likely to face a student scam
- Students can buy a safe for their valuables for a minimum of $120
Campus Safety and Security
Crime is common on college campuses, but other things can endanger students’ life as well. With the rise of Coronavirus cases, students have one more thing to worry about besides burglaries and alcohol abuse.
1. 1 in 3 students don’t feel safe going back to campus because of COVID-19
(Prnewswire)
Coronavirus has affected the entire world, and many institutions were closed during the lockdown. Once the lockdown was over, and people started getting back into the routine, students were expected to come back to classes. However, according to the most recent campus safety and security survey, one in three don’t feel safe enough.
2. 78% of students believe the health facility in their college can’t provide enough care
(Prnewswire)
With the Coronavirus still roaming around, these fears are entirely justified. Also, researches show that at least 11% of students were misdiagnosed in the past. This increases the students’ doubts about college health care facilities.
3. 34% of students believe their peers won’t hold proper distance
(Prnewswire)
According to the recent campus safety statistics, 34% of students worry their classmates won’t follow the guidelines for social distancing. In addition, female students trust others less than their male peers.
4. 53% of college students consumed alcohol in the previous month
(NIAAA)
Regardless of the pandemic, alcohol became a serious issue among college students. Peer influence, accessibility, and pressure caused 53% of students to consume alcohol in the past 30 days. According to United States college statistics, 33% of students also binged alcohol during the same timeframe.
5. 1,519 college students aged 18 to 24 die from alcohol-related injuries
(NIAAA)
Consuming alcohol in college can lead to severe consequences. 1,519 college students aged 18 to 24 die from alcohol-related injuries that mostly include vehicle crashes. Other consequences include suicides and suicide attempts, injuries, or vandalism, making alcohol one of the most essential college campus safety issues to tackle.
6. Young adults aged 18 to 24 are 3x more likely to be victims of a student scam
(Whnt)
Students and their parents often fall victims to scams. According to the most recent data, young adults aged 18 to 24 are most likely to end up being scammed. Most common college-related scams include fake credit cards, rental scams, scholarship and grant scams, and employment scams. Unfortunately, college campus safety statistics show that 41.6% of students reported losing money after being scammed.
7. Illegal Adderall can cost $5 to $7 per pill
(Psycom)
Many students buy illegal stimulants from their peers. The most common reason for taking it is exams and homework. Students feel high pressure and fear underperforming, so they decide to boost their focus and get higher grades. College campus safety articles point out that students should primarily try natural methods to increase their productivity. If that doesn’t work, they should become more informed about the drugs before deciding to test them out.
8. 1 in 5 college students abuses prescribed stimulants
(Affordablecollegesonline)
College can be stressful. The change of environment, new friends, and some added stress often cause the fear of failure among students. That’s why some decide to increase their chances of success with stimulants. One in five students admitted using prescribed stimulants, such as Ritalin or Adderall.
College campus crime statistics
All sorts of things happen on college campuses. It seems fraternities, sororities, and parties are a great way for students to vent. However, these statistics suggest that the institutions and the students must take college campus crime seriously and work on prevention and sanctions.
9. Almost 10 out of 1,000 students are victims of crime in Marquette University
(Silive Valuepenguin)
According to the latest data, Marquette University is one of the least safe college campuses in the US. Violent crimes are less common, but property crimes are high. Vanderbilt University has second place with 8.6 per 1,000 students experiencing violent crimes, and the University of California, LA is in third place with an 8.3 mark.
10. There were at least 67 gunfire incidents in schools in 2020
(Everytownresearch)
Gun-related violence in schools has increased, and colleges are no exception. According to college campus shootings statistics, there were 67 gunfire-related incidents on school grounds in the US. Eight college students died, nine were hurt. In addition, there was one suicide incident with no intent to harm others and one police intervention where nobody was hurt.
11. Total of 17,454 VAWA crimes were reported across 11,013 campuses
(OPE)
The Violence Against Women Act addresses domestic violence, sexual assaults, dating violence, and stalking, many of which happen around campuses of US colleges. Unfortunately, considering the latest campus VAWA crime statistics, these numbers are on the rise. According to the available data, there were 17,454 VAWA offenses reported on more than 10,000 campuses.
12. 77% of hate crime in college derives from race, religion, or sexual orientation
(NCES)
College students often pass judgments based on race, religion, or sexual orientation. Sometimes, the judgment turns into a hate crime. Based on the numbers of crime on college campuses, 77% of reported hate crime on campuses is motivated by race, religion, or sexual orientation. Based on the last available information, race was the cause for 43% of hate crimes, religion for 18%, and sexual orientation for 16%.
13. Forcible sexual offenses make 32% of reported crimes in college
(Criminallawfirmtexas)
Sexual assault statistics show that this type of crime is common in college. 32% of reported crimes are forcible sexual offenses, according to college campus violence statistics. Young adults find themselves outside their homes for the first time, and this can change their behavior. Besides being common, another problem with sexual assaults is that some of the students involved are still minors.
14. 97,000 students report alcohol-related sexual assault or rape
(NIAAA)
Students often consume more alcohol than they can stand, and one of the negative consequences is becoming a victim of alcohol-related sexual assault. Rape statistics in colleges show that about 97,000 students aged 18 to 24 have experienced these types of assaults or date rape from their peers.
15. 696,000 students were assaulted by another drunk student
(NIAAA)
Many college students turned to excessive drinking because of the Coronavirus pandemic. It increased the existing stress among students. Unfortunately, some young adults may turn violent when drinking. According to campus assault statistics, 696,000 students were assaulted by another drunk student across colleges in the US.
16. 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault
(RAINN)
The number of sexual assaults in colleges has been on the rise in the last four years. For example, non-consensual sexual contact by use of physical force happens to 13% of students. The prevalence depends on gender and the ability to consent due to being incapacitated. College violence statistics point that female undergraduate students are three times more likely to be victimized than female graduates. Undergraduate men are also twice as likely to report sexual assaults.
17. 22% of college students experience cyberbullying
(Affordablecollegeonline)
The internet is useful to students in many aspects of their life. They use it to finish homework, attend online classes or socialize. But, unfortunately, with social media comes the problem of cyberbullying. Campus violence statistics show that about 22% of students experience bullying online, and 38% know someone who was cyberbullied.
18. Property crime affects 22 out of 1,000 students
(Valuepenguin)
Property crime statistics say that this is the most common crime students are dealing with on college campuses. Property crime mostly comes down to burglary, with the intention to commit theft. According to college crime rates, it’s far more common than violent crimes and hits on average 22 students per 1,000.
Improving College and Campus Safety
Even though there are many challenges when it comes to the safety of college campuses, many colleges across the US are working on improving the students’ safety. Video security systems and law enforcement officers are just a small part of what colleges could do, based on the Clery Act.
19. 86% of campus law enforcement officials have the right to make an arrest
(Ravemobilesafety)
Safety on college campuses can be improved, and many crimes can be prevented with on-campus law enforcement officers. Most academic institutions employ armed officers, and 86% of sworn officials have a legal right to arrest outside campus grounds.
20. The University of Connecticut reported 826 safety-related in 2019.
(Collegefactual) (UCONN)
The University also has a web page with detailed instructions on how students can take action against crimes and similar events. Still, there were 826 safety-related incidents that involved students in 2019.
According to college campus safety rankings, out of the total 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,935 of them reported fewer events.
21. There were 207,383 disciplinary actions across 6,104 institutions and over 10,000 colleges
(OPE)
Colleges started taking crime seriously. There were over 200,000 reported disciplinary actions taken and 44,567 arrests on college campuses. Even though these numbers show a slight decrease in trends, college crime is still something to worry about.
22. Average self-defense class cost ranges from $30 to $200
(Verywellfit)
Because of increased college campus crime and violence, many women decide to opt-in for a self-defense class. Some colleges even offer such classes as a part of the curriculum. Sometimes they can be credit classes, sometimes taken for fun, but they offer a sense of safety among college students. Another alternative is buying a stun gun, taser, or pepper spray.
23. In 2019, students showed a significant increase in the knowledge of definitions and procedures in sexual assault compared to previous years
(AAU)
According to the latest available campus crime stats and surveys, the biggest change is reflected in students’ familiarity with sexual assault and misconduct definitions, with 11.5% of undergraduate women and 12.5% of undergraduate men.
24. Students can purchase a safe for their valuables for as low as $120
(Safeandcosy)
Many students consider bringing a safe to their dorms, and it seems a smart idea because of all the thefts that happen around campuses. For just $120, students can purchase a small safe and increase their college campus security.
25. The Clery Act from 1990 is still in use and brings many positive effects
(Thebestcolleges)
The Clery Act was named after a student, Jeanne Clery, who was raped and murdered in her dorm. This Act raises awareness of the crimes and requires the schools to publish their annual crime statistics, disclose the places of the incidents, issue warnings, compile fire safety reports, deal with missing students, and instantly respond to dangers. The Act is highly effective and increases universities security.
26. 75% of 4-year academic institutions employ armed officers
(RAINN)
According to the latest available information, 75% of 4-year academic institutions employ armed officers, which is a 10% increase in the last decade. In addition, 70% of law enforcement officers have memorandums of understanding with the local law enforcement. With this agreement, these two parties cooperate and work on enhancing the college campus safety.
27. When it comes to video security in educational institutions, 7% of survey respondents claimed they lack staff
(Campussafetymagazine)
More and more campuses decide to increase their video surveillance, but some are having difficulties. They are dealing with more maintenance and integration-related issues than K-12 institutions, according to public safety reports. Video surveillance data loss has a severe impact on the ability of the institutions to intervene during and react after the incidents happen appropriately.
Conclusion
College should be a fun time for everyone. Students experience living in a different setting, gain new friendships, and enjoy their opt-in classes. But, unfortunately, college campuses aren’t the safest places. Living in a dorm may expose students to violent crimes.
While burglaries are the most common problem, excessive alcohol intake can cause many negative consequences among students and their friends. Luckily for future students, colleges are obligated to reveal their college campus safety statistics, following the Clery Act.
By learning which campuses are the safest in the US, students can carefully consider their options and apply to colleges they believe will be the best selection. However, with the Coronavirus pandemic, chances are many students will attend online classes for the time being.
When the campus’ doors open again, institutions will probably have to deal with enforcing social distancing and other guidelines to minimize the spread of the virus, on top of other issues.
People Also Ask
Why is campus safety important?
College safety is of utmost importance for both parents and students. Young students should be able to study and work on their careers at peace, finish college, and get a job without having to worry about being attacked or raped. Since college crimes are a major issue, campuses act proactively to provide students with a sense of security.
Do college students feel safe on campus?
Overall, most students feel safer on-campus than off-campus. However, some are also worried about alcohol abuse, violent attacks, rapes, and property safety. Another thing that students started worrying about is the Coronavirus pandemic. Many colleges are back to regular classes, and students are fearful that their peers won’t follow the guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus on campus.
What is the most dangerous college campus?
Marquette University is one of the most dangerous universities in the US, with about 10 out of 1,000 students becoming victims of crime. Even though violent crimes are less common, property crimes are high. Other less safe colleges are Vanderbilt University and the University of California. On the other side, some of the safest ones are the University of Connecticut and Brigham Young University.
How can I improve my campus safety?
Students can look into safes to protect them from property crimes and help them save their belongings. The relevant institutions also recommend learning about reported crimes, evacuation paths, self-defense, and sexual assault prevention. Keeping an eye on the drinks, not mingling alone around campus, and having friends you trust is the best thing to do. Minimizing alcohol intake and drug abuse, and dealing with the stress in a more natural way, are also advised.
What is the most common crime on college campuses?
Property crimes are the most common crimes on college campuses. Burglary, with the intention of stealing, is what worries many students. However, those peers who decide on such an act don’t consider the implications of their actions, and it can easily cost them a career down the line. Other common crimes include forcible sexual assault and other alcohol-related offenses.
How can students stay safe on a college campus?
With the Coronavirus present in everyone’s lives, students can do their best to adhere to the CDC guidelines and maintain social distance and personal hygiene. They should also take the time to know the campus, especially the location of the campus safety office. Having a plan in case something happens is a good idea and awareness of the college campus safety statistics.
