![[News]](/~d49er/Icon/news.gif){kind=icon}
Total part two offenses, which include crimes other than violent and property crimes, increased by 450 incidents or 10.8 percent at the California State Universities in 1997, with the most significant increase in drunkenness and disorderly conduct, according to the California State University 1997 Annual Report of Crime Statistics.
Following a 742 incident decrease in 1996, violent crimes - homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault and property crimes - burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft count for part one offenses once again decreased in 1997 by 490 incidents.
The figures from the crime report make up a compilation of crime data reported to the Chancellor's Office by the 22 CSU Departments of Public Safety. It was approved in 1991 by state and federal legislation that each CSU campus was required to report all crimes and arrests at the beginning of each school year to all students or employees upon request.
The most recent statistics for the 1995, 1996 and 1997 calendar years published by the Chancellor's Office show quite similar figures throughout the 22 campuses. Although total property crimes decreased by 498 incidents in 1997, burglary, larceny/theft and motor vehicle theft still count by far for the largest offenses at all the CSUs.
Cal State Long Beach is no different from the other campuses, but does indicate a high number of property crimes. Most of the crimes reported on campus are minor larcenies, University Police Lt. Judi King said. In addition, CSULB, with its many commuters, has been a likely target for motor vehicle thefts, she said.
In 1997, 33 motor vehicle theft offenses were reportd at CSULB; 50 in 1996, 48 in 1995, 29 in 1994 and as many as 102 in 1993. The other major problem areas - larcenies/thefts - marked 258 incidents in 1997, 283 in 1996 and 345 in 1995.
In the CSU annual report of crime statistics, larceny/theft is classified under nine different categories. The highest number of reports under this classification have for the last three years come from theft from buildings, motor vehicles and theft of bicycles.
Since 1993, University Police has been required to provide students with crime statistics on campus in the report, which becomes part of the Chancellor's Office's compilation from all the CSUs. The report lists offenses of criminal homicide, sexual assault/rape, robbery, aggravated assaults, burglary and motor vehicle thefts, as well as liquor laws, drug abuse and weapon possession arrests.
The report shows that in 1994, sexual assault/rape dropped from four incidents to none, robbery from three to one, aggravated assaults from 18 to six, burglary from 78 to 39 and motor vehicle theft from 102 to 29.
"The drop in 1994 can be attributed to anything; we like to believe that it was due to the fact that we started our CSO (Community Service Officers) program," King said.
Community Service Officers is a night escort program where students help police in observing activity on campus. King said they have had the program for years. "They have been the eyes and ears for us in the parking lots," she said.
The 22 CSUs combined 41.5 percent increase in drunkenness and 39 percent increase in disorderly conduct in 1997 are very much similar to campuses nationwide, where alcohol and drug arrests have increased.
However, crime rates at the CSUs are lower overall than national averages for other campuses, Manager for Media Relations Kenneth Swisher at the Chancellor's Office said.
"Partially that is because we have a large commuter population," Swisher said. The CSU students make up a commuter group of 83 percent of the total student population.
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, which reports a yearly survey of crime at nearly 500 of the country's biggest colleges and universities, alcohol arrests increased by 10 percent on college and university campuses and drug arrests increased by 5 percent, marking the fifth year of increases in violation of substance laws.
Kit Lively writing for The Chronicle reports that "Campus police and other college officials believe that [the increase in violations of substance laws] reflects tougher enforcement, not increased usage among students."
King said the reason one area of crime may be significantly higher than another is because at different times University Police may be focusing more on specific arrests.
"The reason our numbers have increased dramatically here is because we have radar in our vehicles now so we are making more traffic stops more often," King said.
King said the crime statistics for CSULB have been fairly constant over the last five years. Not only has the CSO program helped University Police in handling their duties, but education and awareness programs have taken form recently to make students aware of crimes on campus, King said.
University Police Sgt. Bonnie Myers has been in charge of much of the campus crime prevention, King said. "We had a lot of bike larcenies last year so that is what we are focusing on now," she said.
According to The Chronicle, crime reports do not consider whether an institution is rural or urban, residential or commuter. Since each campus may pursue crime differently, high numbers may not mean that a campus is less safe than others.
The statistics put together by the Chancellor's Office show high overall crime figures for San Jose State University compared to all the other CSUs. Under total part two offenses, SJSU listed 673 crimes in 1997, which is considerably higher than most other CSUs. The figure for CSULB was 212.
A likely reason, and something to consider when looking at crime statistics, is that SJSU is located in the middle of a city. "They are getting city problems," King said. "[CSULB] is surrounded by fairly affluent neighborhoods and that is very helpful to us."
But however safe our campus may seem, students need to be aware of their surroundings at all times, King said. "If you are walking by yourself, do not just pay attention to yourself, pay attention to your surroundings, know what is around you at all times," she said.