The annual crime statistics for Seton Hill University (SHU) were recently released to include the incidents of reported crime in 2005. While some crimes have seen small increases, others have doubled and even tripled.
�As we increase in people, naturally, we expect to get more incidents,� said Michael Dell, chief of campus police.
Each university’s crime statistics are reported in the following seven major categories, with several sub-categories: criminal homicide broken down by murder and non-negligent manslaughter and negligent manslaughter; sex offenses broken down by forcible sex offenses and non-forcible sex offenses; robbery; aggravated assault; burglary; motor vehicle theft; and arson.
By Kayla Sawyer,
Staff Writer
The annual crime statistics for Seton Hill University (SHU) were recently released to include the incidents of reported crime in 2005. While some crimes have seen small increases, others have doubled and even tripled.
�As we increase in people, naturally, we expect to get more incidents,� said Michael Dell, chief of campus police.
Each university’s crime statistics are reported in the following seven major categories, with several sub-categories: criminal homicide broken down by murder and non-negligent manslaughter and negligent manslaughter; sex offenses broken down by forcible sex offenses and non-forcible sex offenses; robbery; aggravated assault; burglary; motor vehicle theft; and arson.
The statistics are also broken down geographically into categories of: on-campus, on-campus in residential facilities, non-campus buildings and property (such as streets and sidewalks immediately adjacent to or running through the campus), and public property.
From 2004 to 2005, SHU has seen 74 more liquor violation referrals on-campus, which is an increase from the 14 incidents of 2004 and the 35 of 2003.
There have also been nine more incidents of drug violation referrals and 10 more incidents of weapon violation arrests and referrals.
�A lot of the weapon violations are because of the use of Airsoft guns, which are considered weapons on campus,� said Dell. �So it’s not like students are being caught with (knives) or pistols or shotguns or anything like that.�
Though vandalism and theft to public property has decreased, it has increased on-campus and in on-campus residential facilities. There have been 35 more incidents of theft on-campus and 41 more incidents of theft in on-campus residential facilities.
�You can’thave this many people living together without somebody picking up something that doesn’tbelong to them,� said Dell.
On-campus vandalism is at 47 incidents, which are 32 more than the previous year. On-campus vandalism in residential facilities is also at 47, instead of the 45 reported incidents of both 2004 and 2003.
�It’s atrocious. I don’tenjoy living in the resident halls,� said a freshman, Ashley Tempo. �With such a large number of students, everyone feels more disconnected, and they have less respect for each other and this campus.�
�I�m not sure why SHU feels it’s necessary to grow so drastically and quickly,� said a sophomore, Sarah Slates. �Someone up there must have pretty deep pockets.�
According to Dell, the campus police are responding to the increases in such crimes by attempting to add more cameras, such as the ones in parking lot D. They also have new software for reporting crime that enhances their efficiency of determining what’s being taken and the value of it.
SHU’s crime report also shows decreases in disorderly conduct on-campus, in on-campus residential facilities, and public property. It shows no reports of aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, arson, murder, or manslaughter.
�The campus police can only be as affective as the students want us to be. If students don’tcome forward and report incidents, then we can’tclear up these problems,� said Dell.
Campus police can be contacted anonymously at dell@setonhill.edu or 724-830-4998 (extension 4998).
To see the full crime report, visit: http://www.setonhill.edu/specials/2006crimereport.pdf.
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