June 2004
CAMPUS
SECURITY:
Access
to campus crime information spotty, Pacific Northwest records
audit finds
When
it comes to campus safety, some universities leave students in
the dark.
That's what 25 journalism students within the Edward R. Murrow
School of Communication at Washington
State University concluded
following
a four-month
study to
find
out whether citizens could find out about crime at
20 universities in five western states. They
discovered the difficulty for average citizens to find out crime safety
information,
even when federal law mandates access. While most universities provide
at least some basic statistical crime information, the students
found that numbers are often incomplete or lower than statistics
kept by law enforcement
agencies. The students also found that only a quarter of the agencies would
report basic rape statistics and only 40 percent of the colleges
would make disciplinary records public.
Below are
the project results, along with resources to help you find out about
crime on your campus.
OVERVIEW STORY: Records audit finds that universities
paint rosier picture than reality
METHOD: Students request information like anyone
else would
RESULTS
SUMMARY: Summary results for four records requested from 20 universities
HASSLES: Students ignored, berated and charged
hundreds of dollars for records
MINOR
CRIMES: Thefts and burglaries are most common crimes
CLERY
ACT: Parents fought for legislation following murder of daughter
COMPLY:
What citizens can do if a university does not comply with the Clery Act
HELP:
Six tips for getting access to crime statistics
LINKS:
Resources about the Clery Act and how to find out about crimes on campus
IDAHO:
Universities found to under-report rape statistics
OREGON:
Lack of agency deadline, high fees hinder access
WASHINGTON: Crime statistics don't add up
MONTANA: Basic disciplinary board statistics hard to get
UTAH: Universities report different crime statistics to students,
federal government
SEX
OFFENDERS: Most states provide registries online, but not Oregon
PREVENTION:
Colleges use new technology and community education to prevent crime
BEYOND:
Some universities voluntarily post minor crimes
GRANTS:
Federal grants help to fight violence against women
CREDITS:
Washington State University students use team approach for audit