While colleges and universities are among the safest communities, no campus is immune from crime. Promoting safety on campus is the responsibility of students, faculty, staff, campus and Metropolitan Police officers, and other members of the campus community. An important part of everyone's education is learning how to be alert, use common sense, and prevent unnecessary threats to the safety of themselves and others.
Campus crimes can generally be broken down into two categories: crimes against property and crimes against persons. Most campus crimes occur when criminals are given the opportunity to commit them. By taking away the opportunity, you can help prevent the crime before it occurs. And when entire campuses pull together to reduce the opportunity for crime, they can significantly reduce the risk and enhance the safety of the entire community.
While crimes against property are far more common on college and university campuses, some campus criminals target people as well. Not every crime against a person can be prevented, and victims should never blame themselves for a criminal's behavior. Still, you can help reduce your risk of being victimized by following some common-sense tips like the ones in our Crimes Against Persons section.
This section offers tips for reducing your risk of being victimized on campus. And they offer steps you can take in the event of a crime to keep the situation from getting worse.